美陆军正考虑配置至少一部分新型MV-75A“夏延II”倾转旋翼机，使其能够使用探管-锥套法进行飞行中加油。这反过来又引出了一个问题：美陆军将如何确保有足够的加油机能力来支持这一功能。美陆军官员和MV-75A的主承包商贝尔公司现在都指向了一个未来，即像美海军即将推出的MQ-25“黄貂鱼”这样的加油无人机可以帮助扩展“夏延II”的航程。
- 陆军考虑使用无人加油机为MV-75A加油：美陆军正在探索使用MQ-25等无人加油机在飞行中为新型MV-75A倾转旋翼机加油。
- MV-75A将取代黑鹰直升机：美陆军计划用MV-75A取代其大部分H-60黑鹰机群，增强航程和速度能力。
- 第160特种作战航空团将接收具备加油能力的MV-75：精锐的“暗夜潜行者”团将获得具有飞行中加油功能的特种作战版MV-75。
- MQ-25可以从陆基基地运行：虽然是为航母设计的，但MQ-25的长航时使其适合陆基操作，可能有助于陆军的加油需求。
- 陆军缺乏建制内的加油能力：美陆军目前没有内部加油能力，这使得无人加油机成为其远征行动的可行解决方案。
核心价值：美陆军正在探索集成MQ-25等无人加油机，旨在增强作战范围和灵活性。此举可以解决陆军缺乏建制加油能力的问题，并支持其未来的空中突击战略。
美陆军少将克莱尔·吉尔昨日在纳什维尔举行的陆军航空峰会上讨论了MV-75A的空中加油能力以及“夏延II”的其他方面。
The TWZ Newsletter
Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.
Army considers drone tankers for MV-75A refueling. The U.S. Army is exploring the use of drone tankers like the MQ-25 Stingray to refuel its new MV-75A Cheyenne II tiltrotors mid-flight.
MV-75A to replace Black Hawk helicopters. The Army plans to replace a significant portion of its H-60 Black Hawk fleet with the MV-75A, enhancing range and speed capabilities.
160th SOAR to receive refueling-capable MV-75s. The elite Night Stalkers regiment will get a special operations version of the MV-75 with in-flight refueling capabilities.
MQ-25 could operate from land bases. Although designed for carriers, the MQ-25’s long endurance makes it suitable for land-based operations, potentially aiding Army refueling needs.
Army lacks organic tanker capacity. The Army currently has no in-house tanker capability, making drone tankers a viable solution for its expeditionary operations.
Bottom line: The U.S. Army is exploring the integration of drone tankers like the MQ-25 Stingray to refuel its new MV-75A Cheyenne II tiltrotors, aiming to enhance operational range and flexibility. This move could address the Army's lack of organic tanker capacity and support its future air assault strategies.
The U.S. Army is considering configuring at least a portion of its new MV-75A Cheyenne II tiltrotors to be able to refuel in flight using the probe-and-drogue method. This, in turn, has raised the question of how the service will ensure there is adequate tanker capacity to support that capability. Army officials and the MV-75A’s prime contractor, Bell, have both now pointed to a future where tanker drones like the U.S. Navy’s forthcoming MQ-25 Stingray could help extend the Cheyenne II’s reach.
Army Maj. Gen. Clair Gill discussed aerial refueling capability for the MV-75A, as well as other aspects of the Cheyenne II, during a talk yesterday at the Army Aviation Association of America’s (AAAA) 2026 Warfighting Summit, at which TWZ is in attendance. Gill is currently the service’s Program Acquisition Executive for Maneuver Air. The Army plans to replace a substantial portion of its H-60 Black Hawk helicopters with the MV-75A in the coming years.
A rendering of a pair of MV-75As without in-flight refueling capability. Bell
“Our last chief used to talk to me all the time about aerial refueling. We think that’s something. Maybe we don’t get all of them [the MV-75As] configured for that, but they’ll have the capability,” the Army’s top aviation acquisition officer added. “For industry, I want you to think about how are we going to refuel ourselves, right? One of the challenges, even the Regiment will tell you, and make it top priority – their challenge isn’t you know how good they are on par, their challenge is getting somebody to give them the gas.”
The “Regiment” that Gill refers to here is the Army’s elite 160th Special Operations Aviation
