APRIL 16, 2026 — The U.S. Army announced its Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft to be named the MV-75 Cheyenne II during the Army Aviation Association of America’s annual conference.
The MV-75 Cheyenne II represents a new era of Army aviation, with capabilities that far exceed the current fleet. This medium-size, vertical lift, multi-mission aircraft combines the vertical agility of a helicopter with the speed and range of an airplane, allowing it to fly twice as fast and twice as far.
These tactical characteristics enable “full squad insertion at extended range, expanding medevac reach well beyond today’s golden hour, and enabling large-scale, long-range air assault operations that can reshape the battlefield,” said the Hon. Brent G. Ingraham, assistant secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology.
The aircraft’s capabilities are supported by an adaptable digital backbone built on a modular, open-systems approach. This design allows for the rapid integration of new technologies to counter emerging threats and avoid costly redesigns, while also enabling the aircraft to self-deploy globally via strategic airlift, which reduces complexity and shortens response times during a crisis.
The Army went through a deliberate process in evaluating more than 500 Native American tribes and found that the MV-75’s speed, range, and adaptability mirrored the historical attributes of the Cheyenne tribes.
The name of the MV-75 Cheyenne II “reflects more than heritage – it reflects identity,” said Ingraham. “The Cheyenne people represent a resilient warrior culture and embody the key attributes of the MV-75 – speed, reach, lethality, and adaptability.”
The Cheyenne people inhabited the Great Plains for 400 years, adapting to a harsh and unforgiving environment as highly proficient hunters and gatherers. Their way of life required constant mobility, organized around nomadic buffalo hunting, enabling them to assemble, disassemble, and move quickly to meet the demands of their environment.
“In many aspects, that same ability to rapidly organize, reposition, and operate with precision is reflected in the MV-75 platform.” Ingraham said.
Today, the Cheyenne are represented by the Northern Cheyenne Tribe in Montana and the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes in Oklahoma, whose legacy reflects a proud and enduring warrior tradition ground in protection, provision and leadership. Their spirit of mobility, resilience, and disciplined strength is what the name Cheyenne II represents.
The name was previously used in the late 1960s for the AH-56 Cheyenne, an advanced, high-speed attack helicopter. Although that program did not proceed, its legacy of innovation and speed continues with the new tiltrotor platform.
The MV-75 Cheyenne II is also the very first entirely new platform that has been introduced into the Army inventory since the 1980s, representing a quantum lead ahead in technology.
“It not only enhances the lethality, but also revolutionizes our aircraft design and construction through the advanced open architecture and model based systems engineering,” said Maj. Gen. Clair Gill, Portfolio Acquisition Executive for Maneuver Air.
Ingraham said this aircraft will transform Army aviation and more importantly, it will give our Soldiers the decisive advantage they need to fight and win on today’s and tomorrow’s battlefield.
“The MV-75 is a transformational aircraft that will provide our Joint Force with unparallelled versatility to dominate a wide array of mission sets,” said Col. Jeffrey Poquette, Project Manager for the MV-75 Cheyenne II. “We are honored to have the Cheyenne tribes’ approval to use their name, which embodies the power of this aircraft.”
By Sgt. Tien Dat Ngo