As it accelerates the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) program that will eventually replace the AH-64 Apaches, the U.S. Army has given this futuristic tilt-rotor aircraft an official name.
It will be known as the MV-75 and is expected to be fielded by 2030. However, the US military now wants it inducted by 2028.
The new designation was announced by General James Mingus, Army vice chief of staff, at the Army Aviation Association of America’s annual Mission Solutions Summit.
“It’s a leap ahead in technology and capability,” the General said, adding, “It delivers operational reach that alters how we close with the enemy. It brings the right combination of speed, payload, and survivability we’ve never had in one aircraft.”
Notably, the ‘M’ in MV-75 stands for multi-mission, whereas the ‘V’ indicates that the aircraft is capable of vertical takeoff and landing, as reported by US media.
Previous Army transport helicopters, like the Black Hawk and Chinook, used ‘U’ (utility) or ‘C’ (cargo) designations. This is why the aircraft’s naming has piqued interest, with some reports asserting that the term “multi-mission” might refer to the aircraft’s special operations-specific characteristics.
The rationale behind the number 75, however, remains unknown.
In December 2022, the U.S. Army selected the Bell rotor as its Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) over the coaxial rotor Sikorsky and Boeing Defiant X. Earlier, in the competitive development stage of the FLRAA program, manufacturer Bell had marketed the design as the V-280 Valor. However, it abandoned that designation right after the tiltrotor won the contest.
The official naming comes as the Army insists on the speedy induction of these advanced tilt rotor aircraft. Earlier, the Army had announced its intention to have the MV-75 in service by 2030. However, Army leaders have been stressing the aircraft fielding by 2028, as the threat from adversaries looms large.
For its part, Bell hopes to complete its first flight by 2026. It has a current contract to produce six prototype aircraft.
In addition to revealing the name of the FLRAA, General Mingus announced that the first tilt rotor aircraft will be delivered to the Screaming Eagles of the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
“That decision was based on their mission profile and theater demands,” Gen. James Mingus said. “This decision makes sense, the 101st is a formation built to deploy rapidly and operate in austere conditions. The 101st flies into real-world contested environments, across wide terrain, often without the luxury of fixed support infrastructure. They need speed, endurance, and reliability.”
The 101st Airborne Division is best known for its role in the Normandy Landings during World War II and its involvement in the Vietnam War.
“The operational knowledge gained from that initial fielding “will shape initial doctrine, sustainment models, and maneuver concepts,” General Mingus said. “And we’re not waiting for a distant out-year to make this thing real. Under the Army Transformation Initiative, we are driving to get this aircraft online years ahead of schedule.”
According to reports, the U.S. Army will finalize its design for FLRAA by the end of the year.
Originally intended to replace thousands of Black Hawk helicopters, the army is now presenting the MV-75 as an aircraft that will help it augment its current fleet. This means that both these aircraft could soon be seen operating together in the U.S. Army.
“FLRAA is not a replacement in the conventional sense,” Mingus said, without offering details. The service vows that the superior speed and range offered by this new tiltrotor are crucial in a high-end conflict, particularly against China in the expansive Indo-Pacific region.
The service is currently working to drastically reduce its rotor-wing fleet as part of a major force restructuring. The plan, dubbed the Army Transformation Initiative, calls for the service to eliminate all D-model Boeing AH-64 attack helicopters and reduce two reserve aviation brigades and 11 air cavalry scout squadrons.
Lt. Gen. Joseph Ryan, the US Army’s deputy chief of staff for operations, said the older AH-64D (Apache), which is now into its third decade of service, “is not a war-winning capability that we can fight with and win today.”
Even the most recent upgrades to the AH-64E — the most advanced Apache helicopter — “are also on the cusp of being capabilities where we don’t necessarily see them contributing to the fight the way they have done perhaps in the past,” Ryan said.
Earlier, as part of this overhaul, the service canceled the development of the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft, a next-generation armed scout helicopter. However, the FLRAA has survived all cuts. Mingus affirmed the U.S. Army’s commitment to the program, saying, “Not just committed to the programme, but how do we do it faster as well.”
What Do We Know About The FLRAA?
The U.S. Army initiated the FLRAA program (now named MV-75) in 2019 to develop a next-generation vertical lift aircraft to replace the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, which has been in service since 1979. In 2022, Bell Textron’s V-280 Valor won the contract. By April 2024, the program had completed the preliminary design review (PDR) and entered the engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) phase in August 2024.
The MV-75 is envisioned as the cornerstone of the Army’s modernization for 2030 and beyond. It is designed to counter threats from near-peer adversaries in high-intensity conflicts. In contrast to the Black Hawk, which has trouble in hot or high-altitude conditions, the MV-75’s speed, range, and adaptability will allow for quick power projection, surprise, and transport of combat forces in contested environments.
While the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey has had a history of accidents and safety concerns, the US Army remains highly optimistic about the MV-75.
While there is a paucity of information about the aircraft right now, we know that this tilt-rotor aircraft generates lift and propulsion by way of one or more powered rotors (sometimes called prop-rotors) mounted on rotating shafts or nacelles, usually at the ends of a fixed wing.
The tilt-rotor design combines a helicopter’s VTOL capability with the speed and range of a conventional fixed-wing aircraft. For vertical flight, the rotors are angled, so the plane of rotation is horizontal, generating lift like a normal helicopter rotor.
With a threshold speed of 230 knots (the actual target is 280 knots) and a much longer range, the aircraft is built to fly “twice as far and twice as fast” as the Black Hawk. This would enable rapid troop insertion over long distances and air assault missions from secure areas.
The MV-75 will likely carry 12 personnel, including 8 troops, 2 pilots, and two crew, and have enhanced sling-load capabilities for vehicles, artillery, or supplies. The aircraft will eventually be modified for Special Operation Forces (SOF), for which the US Army has agreed to boost its design’s payload capacity.
Additionally, the US Army is currently exploring a Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) to add new technologies and capabilities. This could mean new sensors, easier pilotage capability, advanced avionics, and expansion of launched capabilities.
The MV-75 will significantly enhance speed, range, and endurance, while providing the future Army with both assault and MEDEVAC capabilities. Moreover, the aircraft will expand battlefield depth, enabling decentralized operations and tactical maneuvering at operational and strategic levels.
The Army is designing this aircraft with key objectives of affordability, durability, maintainability, dependability, and safety. The transformation of the U.S. Army’s operational capabilities in the future will largely depend on these platforms.
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