 On 23 March 1966 , the Army awarded Lockheed an engineering and development contract for 10 prototypes , designating the aircraft AH @-@ 56A . Initial operating capability was planned for 1972 with an optimistic target of late 1970 . Lockheed began construction of the aircraft at its Van Nuys , California facility , and on 3 May 1967 , Lockheed held a roll @-@ out ceremony for the AH @-@ 56A . The aircraft was christened Cheyenne by the Army . The first flight of the AH @-@ 56 occurred on 21 September 1967 . The Secretary of Defense approved pre @-@ production funding to support an initial production order for 375 aircraft on 8 January 1968 . Manufacture of the 10 Cheyenne prototypes was completed by 1969 . 
