Bell Textron has delivered the first CMV-22B for fleet operations to the U.S. Navy.
The V-22 is based at Fleet Logistics Multi-Mission Squadron (VRM) 30 at Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego.
“This first fleet delivery marks a new chapter of the V-22 Tiltrotor program providing enhanced capabilities and increased flexibility to the U.S. Navy as they conduct important operational missions around the globe,” said Shane Openshaw, Boeing vice president of Tiltrotor Programs and deputy director of the Bell Boeing team.
This aircraft is the third overall delivery to the U.S. Navy. Bell Boeing delivered the first CMV-22B at Naval Air Station Patuxent River in February for developmental testing, followed by a second in May. The Navy variant V-22 will take over the Carrier Onboard Delivery Mission, replacing the C-2A Greyhound.
“We are thrilled to bring the Osprey’s capabilities as a warfighting enabler and its ability to provide time sensitive logistics to the men and women deployed around the world in support of U.S. Navy operations,” said Kurt Fuller, Bell V-22 vice president and Bell Boeing program director.
The CMV-22B and C-2A greyhound conducted a symbolic passing of the torch flight in
The CMV-22B carries up to 6,000 pounds of cargo and combines the vertical takeoff, hover and landing (VTOL) qualities of a helicopter with the long-range, fuel efficiency and speed characteristics of a turboprop aircraft.
This is what the Royal Navy need!
COD.
AEW.
AAR.
Commando assault.
To categorize the need of numbers for RN.
COD/Logistics: /
}9
Air to air refueling:
AEW: 6
Commando assault: 6
It would make a great deal of sense to purchase these without a doubt.
Are you forgetting the existence of money and budget? Especially with current circumstances and leadership.
Hence the reason for the sentence starting with, “It would” make a great deal of sense to purchase these without a doubt!
The COD version is being sold to the US Navy at around $70 million, which twice the cost of a new build CH47F Chinook.
The CMV-22 are $105 million each, including initial spares package.
Possibly, but Bell have said the basic airframe price is $70million.
Indonesia has just bought 8x MV-22
8 MV-22 for Indonesia are $2 billion. That includes spares, training, tech support & ferry including tankers.
It also goes twice as far, twice as fast and with the folding wing structure takes up half the space on the carrier… For these reasons alone the government would never invest in anything so practical and useful.
I do wonder if Bell have started looking at a replacement for the V22? A more up to date version, designed with the lessons learnt in building the V280 Valor. The Valor will be built with a fully marinized airframe designed for the US Navy and USMC, which includes the folding prop-rotors and spinning the main-wing through 90 degrees to decrease its footprint. I can see the USMC buying the Valor, even if does not win the FLAA competition, due to its range and speed over the Defiant. One of the biggest advantages the Valor has over the V22, is… Read more »
The V22 was / is the first generation tilt rotor with all of its first of kind teething problems. I suspect that a larger version of the Valor will be produced in the future to replace the Osprey and probably the Chinook. The U.S. Army already sees the future and has tried to stop production of the Chinook but has been prevented by the lobby and their paid congressional lobby…
Cheers! 😀
Yes, the news that the US Army was cancelling the Block 2 CH47F buy didn’t make much headlines. But it should be seen as what it is, the US Army require an aircraft that can keep up with the Valor/Defiant FVL requirement. The Chinook simply won’t be able to keep up, as its speed is limited, due to its aft rotor head not having enough forward pitch movement.
The US Army are their own design authority and will upgrade a significant number of existing model Fs. But this won’t appease the Senate and the Boeing lobbyists.