MV-75 Official Designation Given To Future US Army Tiltrotor Assault Aircraft

The U.S. Army has announced that the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) tiltrotors will be designated as MV-75s. This announcement was made during the Army Aviation Association of America’s annual Mission Solutions Summit.

In 2022, the Army selected a design from Bell, based on the V-280 Valour tiltrotor, as the winner of its FLRAA competition. The service plans to replace a significant number of its H-60 Black Hawk helicopters, including some of the special operations MH-60Ms used by the elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR), with new MV-75s. The design is expected to be finalised by the end of the year and includes features to facilitate the conversion of baseline variants into special operations versions.

According to the Designation-Systems.net website, a prototype YMV-75A designation for the FLRAA was reportedly approved in November 2024. TWZ has been endeavouring to verify this designation with the Army since March.

Regarding the designation, the “M” signifies “multi-mission,” while the “V” indicates its capability for vertical takeoff and landing. The application of the “M” prefix for the baseline FLRAA variant is noteworthy, as past Army transport helicopters such as the Black Hawk and the Chinook have traditionally been designated with “U” for utility or “C” for cargo. The “multi-mission” designation may partially reflect the integrated special operations-specific features.

The Army may also be expecting the baseline FLRAA design to be more readily adaptable to other missions, like the casualty evacuation or “dustoff” role. Army helicopters used for that mission set have often had the “H” designation in the prefix, indicating search and rescue.

Whether the number “75,” which is very much out of sequence with other known “V” designations, the US Army has confirmed to TWZ that the number “75” in the MV-75 designation is a reference to the service’s official founding date, June 14, 1775. On that day, what was then the Continental Congress formally established a Continental Army.

The official designation of the MV-75 for the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) has been announced as the Army aims to expedite the deployment of these tiltrotors. The Army considers the enhanced speed and range provided by the tiltrotors, in comparison to the Black Hawk, to be especially vital for potential future high-end conflicts in the Pacific region.

The Army initially set a goal for the MV-75 to commence service by 2030. However, they have recently adjusted this target to aim for a 2028 timeframe. Additionally, the service has refuted reports suggesting that the FLRAA program might be reduced or terminated as part of a broader force restructuring initiative.

The 101st Airborne Division, renowned as the Army’s leading air assault unit, is poised to be the inaugural recipient of MV-75s. Preparations are already underway within the 101st to facilitate the integration of these advanced tiltrotors, which, according to officials, will fundamentally revolutionise their operational capabilities. Additionally, specially configured variants designed for special operations missions are anticipated for the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR).

“We’re not waiting for a distant out-year to make this thing real,” Gen. James Mingus, Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, said in prepared remarks at the Mission Solutions Summit today. “Under the Army Transformation Initiative, we are driving to get this aircraft online years ahead of schedule.”

If the Army has its way, at least as it has been communicated now, the first operational MV-75s could start being delivered well before the end of the decade.