Utility Helicopter
Bell V-280 Valor / MV-75
The Bell V-280 Valor is a tiltrotor developed by Bell with Lockheed Martin in the United States, first flown in December 2017. Selected in 2022 for the US Army’s FLRAA programme, its production version is designated MV-75 and is not yet in service.
United States|Bell Textron & Lockheed MartinOverview
The V-280 Valor was built as a demonstrator in the Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstrator effort and first flew on 18 December 2017 at Amarillo, Texas. Unlike the V-22 Osprey, its engines stay fixed in the nacelles and only the proprotors tilt. It has a V-tail, fly-by-wire controls and large side doors. The flight programme passed 200 hours by 2022, and testing recorded speeds around 300 knots (about 555 km/h). Bell builds it at Fort Worth and Amarillo, while Lockheed Martin supplies the fuselage and mission systems.
On 5 December 2022 the US Army chose Bell’s V-280-based design over the Sikorsky-Boeing SB>1 Defiant for its Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft, and the production aircraft became the MV-75. It carries four crew and about 14 troops, with a combat radius advertised at over 500 nautical miles (about 930 km). Fielding is targeted around 2030, and dates may change. No unit price is fixed, programme costs run to tens of billions of dollars, and no export customer is contracted.
Key Specifications
Variants
The V-280 Valor is the technology demonstrator that flew from 2017 and proved the fixed-engine tiltrotor design.
The MV-75 is the US Army’s production designation for the aircraft selected to replace the UH-60 Black Hawk in assault roles.
The MV-75 Cheyenne II is the name associated with the production tiltrotor as it moves toward Army fielding.
Operators
United StatesFrequently Asked Questions
What is the MV-75?
The MV-75 is the US Army’s designation for the production tiltrotor based on Bell’s V-280 Valor. It was chosen under the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft programme to succeed the UH-60 Black Hawk in assault roles.
How fast is the Bell V-280 Valor?
The Bell V-280 Valor reached about 300 knots (roughly 555 km/h) in testing, with a cruise speed near 280 knots. Its advertised combat radius exceeds 500 nautical miles, about 930 km.
Is the V-280 a replacement for the Black Hawk?
Yes. The Bell V-280 Valor, as the MV-75, was selected in December 2022 to replace the UH-60 Black Hawk in assault missions, with roughly twice the speed and range. Fielding is targeted around 2030, subject to change.
How much does the V-280 Valor cost?
No unit price for the V-280 Valor or MV-75 has been fixed. Early estimates put the whole FLRAA programme in the tens of billions of US dollars.
V-280 vs V-22 Osprey: what is the difference?
The V-280 Valor keeps its engines fixed in the nacelles and tilts only the proprotors, while the V-22 Osprey tilts the whole engine nacelle. The V-280 also has a V-tail, a larger cabin and a simpler design.
Is the V-280 Valor in service?
No. The V-280 Valor was a demonstrator, and its production version, the MV-75, is not yet in service. The US Army targets fielding around 2030, and there are no export customers, only reported general interest.