V-22 Osprey

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V-22 Osprey

U.S. Marines jump from an Osprey.
Type VTOL transport
Manufacturer Bell Helicopter
Boeing Helicopters
Maiden flight 19 March 1989
Introduction 8 December 2005
Primary users United States Marine Corps
United States Air Force
Program cost US$50.5 billion (2005)[1]
Unit cost US$70 million in 2007 (CV-22 flyaway cost)[2]
Developed from Bell XV-15

The V-22 Osprey is an American joint service, multi-mission, military tiltrotor aircraft with both a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) and short takeoff and landing (STOL) capability. It is designed to perform missions like a conventional helicopter with the long-range, high-speed cruise performance of a turboprop aircraft. The V-22 was developed by Bell Helicopter, which manufactures it in partnership with Boeing Helicopters. The initial operators are the United States Marine Corps and Air Force. The FAA classifies the Osprey as a model of powered lift aircraft.

Contents

[edit] Development

The Department of Defense began the V-22 program in 1981, first under Army leadership, then the Navy/Marine Corps later took the lead in developing what was then known as the Joint-service Vertical take-off/landing Experimental (JVX) aircraft.[3][4] Full-scale development of the V-22 tilt-rotor aircraft began in 1986.[5]

Early concept illustrations of V-22
Early concept illustrations of V-22

The V-22 was developed and is built jointly by Bell Helicopter, which manufactures and integrates the wing, nacelles, rotors, drive system, tail surfaces, and aft ramp, as well as integrates the Rolls-Royce engines, and Boeing Helicopters, which manufactures and integrates the fuselage, cockpit, avionics, and flight controls. Portions of the aircraft are manufactured in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Grand Prairie, Texas, and Fort Worth, Texas. Final assembly and delivery occurs in Amarillo, Texas. The joint development team is known as Bell Boeing.[6][7]

The first of six MV-22 prototypes first flew on March 19, 1989 in the helicopter mode and on September 14, 1989 as a fixed-wing plane. The third and fourth prototypes successfully completed the Osprey's first Sea Trials on the USS Wasp in December 1990. However, the fourth and fifth prototypes crashed in 1990-91. Flight tests were resumed in August 1993 after changes were incorporated in the prototypes.[5]

Flight testing of four full-scale development V-22s began in early 1997 when the first pre-production V-22 was delivered to the Naval Air Warfare Test Center in Patuxent River, MD. The first EMD Flight took place on February 5, 1997. The first of four low-rate initial production aircraft, ordered on April 28, 1997, was delivered on May 27, 1999. Osprey number 10 completed the program's second Sea Trials, this time from the USS Saipan in January 1999.[5] During external load testing in April 1999, Boeing used a V-22 to lift and transport the M777 howitzer.[8]

In 2000 there were two further fatal crashes, killing a total of 19 marines, and the production was again halted while the cause of these crashes was investigated and various parts were redesigned.[9]

The V-22 completed its final operational evaluation in June 2005.[10] The evaluation was deemed successful; events included long range deployments, high altitude, desert and shipboard operations. It was claimed that the problems identified in various accidents had been addressed by the V-22 program office.

V-22 in flight.
V-22 in flight.

On September 28, 2005, the Pentagon formally approved full-rate production for the V-22. The plan was to boost production from 11 a year to 24 to 48 a year by 2012. Planned production quantities include 360 for the Marine Corps, 48 for the Navy, and 50 for the Air Force. The U.S. Army, originally the lead service for the then-named JVX program, is a possible candidate for use.

The V-22 had a flyaway cost of $70 million per aircraft in 2007,[2] but the Navy hopes to shave about $10 million off that price after a five-year production contract starts in 2008.[11]

A total of 458 V-22s are expected to be built for the Marines, U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy at an average unit cost of $110 million per aircraft.[1]

Israel has shown interest in the purchase of an undisclosed number of MV-22s, but an order has not been placed or approved.[12]

 Please help improve this section by expanding it
with: Add JVX competition details, etc..
Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion.


[edit] Controversy

The V-22's development process has been long and controversial. When the development budget, first projected at $2.5 billion in 1986, increased to $30 billion in 1988, then-Defense Secretary Dick Cheney tried to zero out the budget. He was eventually overruled by Congress.[9] As of 2007, the Osprey program had spent $20 billion over 25 years of development, and will require another $35 billion from the Pentagon before the program is completed.[13]

The V-22 squadron's former commander at Marine Corps Air Station New River, Lieutenant Colonel Odin Lieberman, was relieved of duty in 2001 after allegations that he instructed his unit that they needed to falsify maintenance records to make the plane appear more reliable.[5]

The aircraft is incapable of autorotation in the case of engine failure, a fact that led a director of the Pentagon's testing office in 2005 to say that if the Osprey loses power while flying like a helicopter below 1,600 feet (490 m), emergency landings "are not likely to be survivable". But Captain Justin (Moon) McKinney, a V-22 pilot, says that this will not be a problem, "We can turn it into a plane and glide it down, just like a C-130".[13] A complete loss of power would require the failure of both engines, as a drive shaft connects the nacelles through the wing; one engine can power both propellers.[14]

In 2000 Boeing announced that all V-22s were going to be fitted with a nose mounted GAU-19 Gatling gun, to provide "the V-22 with a strong defensive firepower capability to greatly increase the aircraft's survivability in hostile actions."[15] But the GAU-19 project was canceled, leading to criticism by retired Marine General James L. Jones, who is not satisfied with the current V-22 armament.[13]

With the first combat deployment of the MV-22 in October 2007, Time Magazine ran an article condemning the aircraft as unsafe, overpriced, and completely inadequate.[13] The Marine Corps, however, responded with the assertion that much of the article's data was dated, obsolete, inaccurate, and with expectations that ran too high for any new field of aircraft.[16]

[edit] Design

The Osprey is the world's first production tiltrotor aircraft, with one three-bladed proprotor, turboprop engine, and transmission nacelle mounted on each wingtip. For takeoff and landing, it typically operates as a helicopter with the nacelles vertical (rotors horizontal). Once airborne, the nacelles rotate forward 90° in as little as 12 seconds for horizontal flight, converting the V-22 to a more fuel-efficient, higher-speed turboprop airplane. STOL rolling-takeoff and landing capability is achieved by having the nacelles tilted forward up to 45°. For compact storage and transport, the V-22's wing rotates to align, front-to-back, with the fuselage. The proprotors can also fold in a sequence taking 90 seconds.[17]

First production Osprey to join the V-22 Navy flight test program since resumption of flight evaluations in May 2002. Aircraft is shown in compact storage configuration.
First production Osprey to join the V-22 Navy flight test program since resumption of flight evaluations in May 2002. Aircraft is shown in compact storage configuration.

The V-22 is equipped with a glass cockpit, which incorporates four Multi-Function Displays (MFDs) and one shared Central Display Unit (CDU), allowing the pilots to display a variety of images including: digimaps centered or decentered on current position, FLIR imagery, primary flight instruments, navigation (TACAN, VOR, ILS, GPS, INS), and system status. The flight director panel of the Cockpit Management System (CMS) allows for fully-coupled (aka: autopilot) functions which will take the aircraft from forward flight into a 50-foot hover with no pilot interaction other than programming the system.[18]

The V-22 is a fly-by-wire aircraft with triple-redundant flight control systems. With the nacelles pointing straight up in conversion mode at 90° the flight computers command the aircraft to fly like a helicopter, with cyclic forces being applied to a conventional swashplate at the rotor hub. With the nacelles in airplane mode (0°) the flaperons, rudder, and elevator fly the aircraft like an airplane. This is a gradual transition which occurs over the entire 96° range of the nacelles. The lower the nacelles, the greater effect of the airplane-mode control surfaces.

The Osprey is armed with one 0.308 in (7.62 mm) machine gun pointing rearward that can be fired when the loading ramp is lowered. A GAU-19 three-barrel 0.50 in (12.7 mm) gatling gun mounted below the V-22's nose has also been studied for future upgrade.[13][19] BAE Systems is also developing a remotely operated turreted weapons system for the V-22.[20]

[edit] Operational history

Two USAF CV-22s, landing at Holloman AFB, NM, 2006.
Two USAF CV-22s, landing at Holloman AFB, NM, 2006.

USMC crew training on the Osprey has been conducted by VMMT-204 since March 2000. On 3 June 2005, the Marine Corps helicopter squadron HMM-263, stood down to begin the process of transitioning to the MV-22 Osprey. On 8 December 2005, Lieutenant General Amos, commander of the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, accepted the delivery of the first fleet of MV-22s, delivered to HMM-263. The unit reactivated on 3 March 2006 as the first MV-22 squadron and was redesignated VMM-263. On 31 August 2006, VMM-162 (the former HMM-162) followed suit. On March 23, 2007, Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 266 became Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 266 (VMM-266) at Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina.

The Air Force's first operational CV-22 Osprey was delivered to the 58th Special Operations Wing (58th SOW) at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico on 20 March 2006. This and subsequent aircraft will become part of the 58th SOW's fleet of aircraft used for training pilots and crewmembers for special operations use.[21]

Crew members refuel an MV-22 before a night mission in central Iraq, February 2008.
Crew members refuel an MV-22 before a night mission in central Iraq, February 2008.

On 10 July 2007 an MV-22 Osprey landed aboard the Royal Navy aircraft carrier, HMS Illustrious in the Atlantic Ocean. This marked the first time an MV-22 had landed on any non-US vessel.[22]

The Osprey entered operational service with the Marine Corps in 2007, in some cases replacing existing CH-46 Sea Knight squadrons.[23] On 13 April 2007 the United States Marine Corps announced that it would be sending 10 V-22 aircraft to Iraq, the Osprey's first combat deployment. Marine Corps commandant, Gen. James Conway, indicated that over 150 Marines would accompany the Osprey set for September deployment to Al-Asad Airfield.[24][25] On 17 September 2007, 10 MV-22Bs of VMM-263 left for Iraq aboard the USS Wasp. The decision to use a ship rather than use the Osprey's self-deployment capability was made because of concerns over icing during the North Atlantic portion of the trip, lack of available KC-130s for mid-air refueling, and the availability of the USS Wasp.[26]

A MV-22 of VMM-162 in Iraq, April 2008.
A MV-22 of VMM-162 in Iraq, April 2008.

The Osprey has provided support in Iraq, racking up some 2000 flight hours over three months with a mission capable availability rate of 68.1% as of late January 2008.[27] They are primarily used in Iraq's western Anbar province for routine cargo and troop movements, and also for riskier "aero-scout" missions. Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. military commander in Iraq, used one to fly around Iraq on Christmas Day, 2007, to visit troops.[28] The only major problem has been obtaining the necessary spare parts to maintain the aircraft.[29]

[edit] Variants

CV-22A 
Air Force aircraft used as a transport from land bases.[30]
MV-22B 
Basic US Marine Corps transport; original requirement for 552 (now 360). The Marine Corps is the lead service in the development of the V-22 Osprey. The Marine Corps variant, the MV-22B, is an assault transport for troops, equipment and supplies, capable of operating from ships or from expeditionary airfields ashore. It is replacing the Marine Corps CH-46E and CH-53D. As of March 2007, the Marines have activated three operational Osprey squadrons.[31][32]
Osprey at NAS Pensacola, November 2006
Osprey at NAS Pensacola, November 2006
CV-22B 
Operated by the Air Force for the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), will conduct long-range, special operations missions, and is equipped with extra fuel tanks.[33] The Air Force officially accepted the CV-22 on 16 November 2006 in a ceremony conducted at Hurlburt Field in Northwest Florida.[34]
HV-22B 
The planned, but not-yet-funded, United States Navy HV-22 will provide combat search and rescue, delivery and retrieval of special warfare teams along with fleet logistic support transport.[35]

[edit] Operators

Flag of the United States United States

[edit] Notable accidents

Main article: Accidents and incidents involving the V-22 Osprey
A U.S. V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft flies a test mission
A U.S. V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft flies a test mission

From 1991 to 2000 there were four significant crashes during testing:[9]

  • On June 11, 1991, a mis-wired flight control system led to two minor injuries when the left nacelle struck the ground while the aircraft was hovering 15 feet in the air, causing it to bounce and catch fire.
  • On July 20, 1992, a leaking gearbox led to a fire in the right nacelle, causing the aircraft to drop into the Potomac River in front of an audience of Congressmen and other government officials at Quantico, killing all seven on board and grounding the aircraft for 11 months.
  • On December 11, 2000, after a catastrophic hydraulic leak and subsequent instrument failure, a V-22 fell 1,600 feet into a forest in Jacksonville, North Carolina, killing all four aboard.

Since becoming operational in 2006, the V-22 has had six notable, though minor, incidents.

[edit] Specifications (MV-22B)

Data from Boeing Integrated Defense Systems,[36] Naval Air Systems Command,[37] and the CV-22 Air Force Fact Sheet.[38]

General characteristics

  • Crew: two pilots
  • Capacity: 24 troops (seated), 32 troops (floor loaded) or up to 15,000 pounds of cargo
  • Length: 57 ft 4 in (17.5 m)
  • Rotor diameter: 38 ft 0 in (11.6 m)
  • Wingspan: 46 ft (14 m); 84 ft 7 in (including rotors))
  • Height: 22 ft 1 in (overall - nacelles vertical) (17 ft 11 in 5.5 m (at top of tailfins))
  • Disc area: 2,268 ft² (212 m²)
  • Wing area: 301.4 ft² (28 m²)
  • Empty weight: 33,140 lb (15,032 kg)
  • Loaded weight: 47,500 lb (21,500 kg)
  • Max takeoff weight: 60,500 lb (27,400 kg)
  • Powerplant: 2× Rolls-Royce Allison Rolls-Royce T406 (AE 1107C-Liberty) turboshafts, 6,150 hp (4,590 kW) each

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 275 knots (316 mph, 509 km/h)
  • Cruise speed: 214 knots (246 mph, 396 km/h) at sea level
  • Range: 879 nmi (1,011 mi, 1,627 km) (unrefueled)
  • Combat radius: 370 nmi (430 mi, 690 km)
  • Ferry range: 2,417 nm (2,781 mi, 4,476 km)
  • Service ceiling 26,000 ft (7,925 m)
  • Rate of climb: 2,320 ft/min (11.8 m/s)
  • Disc loading: 20.9 lb/ft² @ 47,500 lb GW (102.23 kg/m²)
  • Power/mass: 0.259 hp/lb (427 W/kg)


[edit] See also

Related development

Comparable aircraft

Related lists

[edit] Popular Culture

Two V-22s (of only three in the USAF inventory at the time[39]) were filmed in flight at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, in May 2006 for the 2007 Transformers film.[40][41]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b "V-22 Osprey Tilt-Rotor Aircraft", CRS Report for Congress, August 4, 2005
  2. ^ a b "FY 2008/2009 Budget Estimates." United States Air Force. February 2007, p. 4-5.
  3. ^ "The Long Road: AFOTEC's Two-Plus Decades of V-22 Involvement", US Air Force, August 1, 2007.
  4. ^ "Department of the Army, Historical Summary", Chapter 9, Center Of Military History, United States Army, 1988, ISSN 0092-7880.
  5. ^ a b c d V-22 Osprey Tilt-Rotor Aircraft, US Navy Historical Center, January 7, 2005.
  6. ^ Boeing V-22 page
  7. ^ Bell V-22 page
  8. ^ Boeing: V-22 Lifts 155mm Howitzer. Boeing Integrated Defense Systems.
  9. ^ a b c Berler, Ron. "Saving the Pentagon's Killer Chopper-Plane", Wired.com, July 2005. Retrieved on 2008-02-08. 
  10. ^ Pentagon Testing Office Concurs With Naval Testers, Supports MV-22. Naval Air Systems Command.
  11. ^ DJ US Navy Expects Foreign Interest In V-22 To Ramp Up Next Year, Dow Jones Newswires, May 31, 2007.
  12. ^ "Israel considers V-22 acquisition ." Ben-David, A. Jane's Defence Weekly. January 25, 2006.
  13. ^ a b c d e "V-22 Osprey: A Flying Shame", Time magazine, September 26, 2007.
  14. ^ V-22 Osprey, globalsecurity.org
  15. ^ Osprey Facts, Bell-Boeing, September 14, 2000.
  16. ^ Leaders, experts slam Time article on Osprey. Marine Corps Times, Oct 16, 2007.
  17. ^ Tom P. Currie Jr., Major, USAF. The CV-22 “Osprey” and the Impact on Air Force Combat Search and Rescue. Air Command and Staff College.
  18. ^ Daniel P Ringenbach, Scott Brick (August 7, 2005), “Hardware-in-the-loop testing for development and integration of the V-22 autopilot system”, AIAA Flight Simulation Technologies Conference Technical Papers (A95-39235 10-01), Baltimore, MD: AIAA, pp. 28-36, <http://pdf.aiaa.org/preview/1995/PV1995_3385.pdf>. Retrieved on 19 April 2007 
  19. ^ Defensive Armament for the V-22 Selection, Integration, and Development, Bell Helicopter and General Dynamics.
  20. ^ "BAE Systems Launches New V-22 Defensive Weapon System, Begins On-The-Move Testing", BAE Systems, 02 October 2007.
  21. ^ CV-22 delivered to Air Force. Air Force Print News (2006-03-21). Retrieved on 2007-04-19.
  22. ^ 1st Tea time for the V-22 (MV-22). Zerosix world press (2007-07-12).
  23. ^ Carter, Chelsea J. (2008-03-18). Miramar Base to Get Osprey Squadrons. Associated Press.
  24. ^ Mike Mount (2007-04-14). Marines to deploy tilt-rotor aircraft to Iraq. CNN.com. Retrieved on 2007-04-19.
  25. ^ Controversial Osprey aircraft heading to Iraq; Marines bullish on hybrid helicopter-plane despite past accidents. MSNBC (2007-04-13). Retrieved on 2007-04-19.
  26. ^ Military/Utility: Osprey Heads to Iraq. Rotor & Wing (2007-10-01).
  27. ^ "MV-22 ‘Osprey’ brings new capabilities to the sandbox", U.S. Marine Corps (not accessable outside USA) January 23, 2008.
  28. ^ Mount, Mike. "Maligned aircraft finds redemption in Iraq, military says", CNN.com, 2008-02-08. Retrieved on 2008-02-08. 
  29. ^ Warwick, Graham. "US Marine Corps says V-22 Osprey performing well in Iraq", Flight magazine, 2008-02-07. Retrieved on 2008-02-10. 
  30. ^ DoD 4120.15-L, Model Designation of Military Aerospace Vehicles, U.S. Department of Defense, May 12, 2004.
  31. ^ US Marine Corps Press Release, March 23, 2007
  32. ^ Maritime Airborne Surveillance and Control (MASC). Navy Matters. Retrieved on 2007-04-19.
  33. ^ MV-22B Osprey tilt-rotor assault troop carrier
  34. ^ CV-22 arrival. Press Release from Hurlburt AFB (2006-11-20). Retrieved on 2007-04-19.
  35. ^ V-22 Osprey; HV-22 Navy Variant. Retrieved on 2007-04-19.
  36. ^ V-22 Osprey Technical Specifications. Boeing Integrated Defense Systems.
  37. ^ V-22 Characteristics. Naval Air Systems Command.
  38. ^ CV-22 OSPREY. Air Force Link. Retrieved on 2007-08-06.
  39. ^ Ospreys in flight, US Air Force
  40. ^ "Movie project transforms Holloman", US Air Force, June 5, 2006.
  41. ^ "'Transformers' put Airmen, aircraft on big screen", US Air Force, July 3, 2007.

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