REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. (April 20, 2026) – Meet the MV-75 Cheyenne.
Drawing on a tradition of christening its aviation fleet with names that honor the country’s American Indian heritage, the U.S. Army announced “Cheyenne” as the popular name for its newest aircraft April 15, at the Army Aviation Association of America's 2026 Army Aviation Warfighting Summit in Nashville.
“With the MV-75 we honor a legacy, forged in conflict, proven in battle. Originally known to the U.S. Army as some of the most formidable and disciplined adversaries on the battlefield, a relationship evolved in warfare to mutual respect and finally, into an unbroken legacy of patriotic service -- with members serving in every American conflict in every branch of the U.S. Armed Forces,” said Hon. Michael Obadal, Under Secretary of the Army, who unveiled the name during the convention’s opening ceremony.
The tradition of naming aircraft after American Indian tribes harkens back to post-World War II when Gen. Hamilton Howze, not happy with the monikers of the first Army helicopters – Hoverfly and Dragonfly – directed his Soldiers to take their inspiration from the fighting style of the tribes during the American Indian Wars. He wanted a name that invoked a warrior ethos that was fast and agile -- attacking enemy flanks and then fading into the distance.
This is not the Army’s first Cheyenne, originally using the name in the late 1960's for the AH-56, which was developed to be an advanced, high-speed attack helicopter. The program was cancelled in August 1972 as the Vietnam War drew down. Although it never entered full production, the AH-56 Cheyenne's advanced technologies were incorporated into later attack helicopters such as the AH-64 Apache.
A tribal blessing and ceremony was held at the convention later that afternoon under the Cheyenne mock up, bringing senior Army leaders together with the Northern Cheyenne Tribe of Montana, and the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma.
Manufactured by Bell Textron, the MV-75 will revolutionize air assault capabilities. Touted "twice as far, twice as fast," it is a medium-sized, multi-mission tiltrotor aircraft that combines the versatility of a helicopter with the speed and range of an airplane. The MV-75 can perform a variety of missions, including air assault, medical evacuation and resupply, in challenging environments.
But the ceremony was not about what the aircraft would do, it was about what it would be.
“This moment is not only about technology of progress, but honoring tradition, forging meaningful relationships and recognizing the contributions indigenous communities have made and continue to make to the United States of America,” said Gene Small, president of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe.
The ceremony concluded with a traditional Cheyenne blessing over the MV-75 mock up from the tribes.
“We want to make sure there is safety when we go out to whether it’s home training or it is across the universe, across the country, across the seas, across those waters that sometimes we have to travel sometimes to make our country safe … the tribes have always tried to make sure we were protected as a people. We were resilient, we came home safe,” said Reggie Wassana, governor of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes.
“So this will be the protector for our Soldiers – and get them home.”
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