The MV-22B Osprey is a V/STOL tiltrotor designed to replace the medium lift for the CH-46E Sea Knight attack support helicopter. The Osprey can operate as a helicopter or propeller plane and offers twice the speed, six times the range and three times the payload of the CH-46E.
The Initial Operational Capability (IOC) for the MV-22B was announced in June 2007. Osprey had three successful combat deployments in Iraq between October 2007 and April 2009 with the VMM-263 , VMM-162 and VMM-266 respectively.
VMM-263 began its first MV-22 deployment with the Bataan Readiness Group in May 2009 as part of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU). And will continue to be deployed next year.
On March 28, 2008, NAVAIR awarded a five-year, $10.3 billion contract to Bell-Boeing to purchase 141 MV-22 Ospreys for the Marines and 26 CV-22 Ospreys for the Department of Defense Air Force Special Operations Command.
This is the first multi-year procurement contract for the Osprey program, including purchases during the 2008-12 financial year. The deal saves taxpayers $427 million and reduces risk for the government by establishing a cost cap.
On June 12, 2013, the Navy signed a second multi-year procurement contract (MYPII) with Bell Boeing for the production of the V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft. This multi-year contract purchases 100 V-22s during FY13-FY17 with 93 MV-22s for the Marines and 7 CV-22s for the Air Force. The total contract value is close to $6.4 billion, and approximately $1 billion in savings is expected over the life of the project.
This fixed-price-incentive-fee multi-year contract provides program stability, supporting the needs of both services to exploit new and better capabilities, and, in the case of Marines, get rid of old aircraft.
SpecificationsPrimary Function: Medium-lift assault support
Contractor: Bell-Boeing
Date Deployed: 2007
Propulsion: Two Rolls-Royce Liberty AE1107C engines, each deliver 6,200 shaft horsepower
Length: 57’ 4”
Height: 22’ 1”
Wingspan: 83’ 10”
Weight: maximum gross 60,500 pounds (self-deployment); 57,000 pounds (STOL); 52,600 (VTOL)
Speed: maximum 280 knots
Ceiling: 25,000 feet (7,620 meters)
Range: with 24 troops, 430+ nautical miles; 2,230nm for self-deploy with 3 MATs and single aerial refuel
Crew: 2 pilots, 1 crew chief
