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