US Army MV-75 to complement the Blackhawk

The U.S. ARMY has officially designated MV-75 as the mission design series for its Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA), a key modernization effort aimed at fielding the next generation of vertical lift tactical assault and utility aircraft for the ARMY and U.S. SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND (USSOCOM). “MV” stands for multi-mission vertical takeoff, and “75” commemorates the Army’s founding year, 1775. A common legacy name like Black Hawk, Chinook or Apache is currently under consideration.

In December 2022, the U.S. ARMY down-selected the BELL V-280 VALOR for the FLRAA program, modernizing ARMY aviation for decades to come. Designed to complement the ARMY’s current fleet of UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, FLRAA will give combat aviation brigades and special operations aviation units a survivable, long-range, high-speed platform capable of operating in contested environments. Nicknamed “twice as far, twice as fast,” the aircraft’s extended reach and standoff capability will enhance tactical maneuvering over operational and strategic distances. 

A key enabler of the program is the deliberate integration of a Modular Open Systems Approach in FLRAA’s design, acquisition and sustainment strategy. This approach allows for faster fielding of threat-driven capabilities, while also promoting affordability and mission system commonality across platforms throughout the aircraft’s lifecycle.

As part of the U.S. ARMY’s overall aviation modernization strategy, FLRAA will ensure continued dominance in the lower tier of the air domain — often referred to as the “air-ground littoral” — and provide commanders and Soldiers with the advanced capabilities required for success in future conflicts. The ARMY plans to field at least 1,000 MV-75 tiltrotors over the coming decades, although the final number may well change.