Fort Worth-based Bell Textron Inc. — now 75 years old — is ramping up production of the U.S. Army’s MV-75 Cheyenne II aircraft.
Last month, the defense contractor celebrated the grand opening of its Wichita, Kansas, assembly center for the aircraft’s fuselage — part of an accelerated initiative directed by Army leaders for the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft, or FLRAA. The vertical-lift, next-generation aircraft will be used for tactical assault and other missions.
Company officials said the Kansas facility complements Bell’s Advanced Composite Center in Fort Worth and a final assembly complex in Amarillo.
Danny Maldonado, president and CEO of Bell, said the company is dedicated to investing in its manufacturing facilities.
“As Bell moves through the assembly of the MV-75 test aircraft and into accelerated production, we are committed to investing in advanced manufacturing to ensure we deliver exceptional performance at an affordable cost to our customer,” Maldonado said in a statement.
Bell is investing $632 million into a north Fort Worth factory for the MV-75 Cheyenne aircraft. A 450,000-square-foot building at 15100 N. Beach St. is being remodeled and expanded. The project is expected to be completed in early 2027, according to a filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
In Kansas, the crew of about 80 workers is expected to grow to about 300 as production increases, officials said. Parts made at the plant will be sent to Bell’s Texas facilities.
Bell’s Wichita plant strengthens the state’s legacy in producing aircraft for decades, U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, said.
“This facility represents a new chapter of Army aviation and of Bell’s investment into Kansas,” Moran said in a statement. “I have long supported this critical program and the Army’s efforts to accelerate its production. I am pleased that Bell Textron has chosen Kansas for this investment, a decision that will strengthen our national security while expanding opportunities for Wichita’s highly skilled workforce.”
The aircraft’s official name honors the heritage of the Cheyenne Tribes, including the Northern Cheyenne Tribe in Montana and the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes in Oklahoma, Army officials said. The MV-75’s nickname — “twice as far, twice as fast” — comes from the aircraft’s tactical maneuvering over long distances, Army officials said.
Bell is expected to make its first delivery of the MV-75 Cheyenne in the summer, the officials said.
Eric E. Garcia is senior business reporter at the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at eric.garcia@fortworthreport.org.
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