Modern tilt-fan aircraft with three times the cargo, six times the range, and a speed increase of two CH-46E
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 progra...