Lockheed designed the Cheyenne using a four-blade rigid-rotor system and configured the aircraft as a compound helicopter with low-mounted wings and a tail-mounted thrusting propeller driven by a General Electric T64 turboshaft engine.
Lockheed deseñou o Cheyenne usando un sistema de rotor ríxido de catro palas e configurou a aeronave como un helicóptero composto con palas baixas e unha cola cunha hélice de empuxe cun motor turboeixo General Electric T64.