Bell Textron and Boeing announced they have delivered the 400th V-22 Osprey to the United States Department of Defense. The US Air Force Special Operations Command received the CV-22 on 2 June.
“The delivery of the 400th V-22 represents the demand for this platform’s unique capabilities. It is a testament to the diligence of the men and women from Bell, Boeing and our entire supply chain who build and deliver this incredible aircraft to our customers,” said Kurt Fuller, Bell V-22 vice president and Bell Boeing programme director. “For over 30 years, the people who support the Bell Boeing V-22 have been the foundation in bringing tiltrotor capabilities to the world.”
The CV-22 is the Special Operations Forces (SOF) variant of the V-22 Osprey. The CV-22 Osprey is a tiltrotor aircraft that combines the vertical take-off, hover and vertical landing qualities of a helicopter with the long-range, fuel efficiency and speed characteristics of a turboprop aircraft. Its primary mission is to conduct long-range infiltration, exfiltration and resupply missions for Air Commandos around the world and at a moment’s notice.
“It’s been over 20 years since the first production V-22 was delivered, and we are proud to reach another milestone in our 400th delivery. V-22s continue to be in high demand, protecting our country and our allies around the world through combat operations, international training partnerships and humanitarian missions,” said Marine Corps Col. Matthew Kelly, programme manager for the V-22 Joint Programme Office (PMA-275). “This platform’s impact can’t be overstated.”
The V-22 Osprey’s combination of speed, range, payload and vertical lift are ideally suited to the diverse environments, geographies and mission-types performed by operators around the world. The Marine Corps variant, the MV-22B, provides transportation of personnel, supplies and equipment for combat assault, assault support and fleet logistics. Since 2007, it has been continuously forward-deployed in a range of combat, humanitarian and special operations. The Navy variant, the CMV-22B, is the replacement for the C-2A Greyhound for the carrier onboard delivery mission. The V-22 production line is currently on its third multi-year procurement contract.
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