Bell Boeing delivered
the first Block B version of the V-22 Osprey, Thursday, to the US
Marine Corps in ceremonies at Bell's manufacturing facility here.
The Block B aircraft has software upgrades, reliability and
maintainability improvements over existing V-22 aircraft.
It was accepted by Col. Bill Taylor, PMA 275 Program Manager,
Naval Air Systems Command, who has responsibility for the
management of the V-22 Program for the Government, and LtGen Jim
Amos, Commanding General, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force. The
aircraft will enter service with Marine Corps squadron VMM 263 at
Marine Corps Air Station new River, N.C.
"The Osprey remains at the very soul of our Corps' ability to
fight future conflicts across a widely disbursed battlefield,"
explained LtGen Amos, adding, "Battlefields, where the tyranny of
distance is solved with speed, and where an irregular enemy who
chooses to fight at an urban marketplace or at an ambush site in a
wadi is faced with the dilemma... 'where are they... I know they
are coming... I just don't know when or where.'
"Our Ospreys will operate in the enemy's backyard; they will do
it quickly and quietly. And when they come, they will deliver the
deadliest of weapon systems... United States Marines," LtGen Amos
added.
John Lockard, Vice President and General Manager, Boeing Naval
Systems, said the delivery was another significant milestone in
providing a much-needed capability to the Marines. "The V-22 is
revolutionary in terms of the capabilities it brings to the
warfighter, yet today's success is attributed to the age-old
virtues of commitment and teamwork - between the Marine Corps, Bell
and Boeing," he said.
"This is not only the first V-22 that will go to a combat unit,
but it is the 19th V-22 we have delivered this year," explained
Bell Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer John
Bean, adding, "This is important because one year ago Bell Boeing
committed to delivering 19 Ospreys in 2005. Today we delivered on
that commitment."
In September 2005, Bell Boeing was granted approval by the
United States Defense Department for Full Rate Production (FRP) of
the V-22 Osprey.
Current plans include the delivery of 360 aircraft to the U.S.
Marine Corps, 50 for the U.S. Air Force and 48 for the U.S. Navy.
With FRP, the US Government has authorized Bell and Boeing to
increase current low-rate production of 11 aircraft per year up to
48. The FRP decision by the Defense Acquisition Board followed the
successful completion of extensive Operational Evaluation testing,
conducted last summer by the USMC.
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