Division to Receive the Recently-Designated MV-75 by 2030

The US Army is tapping the 101st Airborne Division as the first unit to fly its new Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft, recently designated as the MV-75. This helicopter will serve as a replacement for the beloved UH-60 Blackhawk.

This decision was announced by General James Mingus, Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, at the Army Aviation Association of America conference. This annual summit was held on May 14-16 in Nashville, Tennessee.

“This decision makes sense, the 101st is a formation built to deploy rapidly and operate in austere conditions,” Gen Mingus explained. He noted that the selection “was based on their mission profile and theater demands.”

The Army initiated its Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft program in 2019 in search of a successor for the Blackhawk. This aircraft, though still considered to be the most widely flown helicopter in the military, has been in service since 1979. Despite several upgrades and new variants being released, most are nearing the end of their planned service life.

In 2022, the Army landed on the Rolls-Royce-powered Bell Textron V-280 Valor as the Blackhawk’s replacement. This is a twin-engine VTOL designed to serve both assault and transport missions. Its performance specs are significantly more impressive than the Blackhawk’s, reaching a top speed of 280 knots and a range of 800 nautical miles.

The V-280 has been officially designated the MV-75 for its service. The name pays tribute to the helicopter’s Multi-mission and Vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) capabilities as well as the US Army’s birth in 1775.

The 101st Airborne Division’s Combat Aviation Brigade is expected to take delivery of the first MV-75 to replace the UH-60 by 2030. This date may be shifted forward if US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s Army Transformation Initiative, which aims to “build a leaner, more lethal force,” gets involved.

FMI: www.army.mil