A joint venture between Bell Helicopter and Boeing has been contracted to manufacture 58 V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft as part of a modified multiyear US Navy contract worth $4.2 billion.
Bell Boeing will deliver 39 CMV-22B aircraft to the US Navy; 14 MV-22B aircraft to the Marine Corps; one CV-22B to the US Air Force; and four MV-22B aircraft to the government of Japan. The sizeable contract is not expected to complete until November 2024 however.
“Bell Boeing is pleased to extend production of the V-22, supporting our warfighters with one of the most versatile and in-demand platforms in the US arsenal,” said Chris Gehler, Bell Vice President for the V-22 Program. “This multiyear production contract provides program production stability through at least 2024.”
The Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey is a joint service multirole combat aircraft, which utilizes tiltrotor technology to combine the vertical performance of a helicopter with the speed and range of a fixed-wing aircraft.
Once received, the US Navy will rely on its CMV-22B fleet to transport personnel and cargo from shore to ship – specifically US aircraft carriers. Eventually, these will replace the C-2 Greyhound, which has been in service since the mid-1960s.
“By combining aircraft for three services and a key US ally into one multiyear order, the US Navy gets more capability for its procurement dollar,” said Kristin Houston, Vice President of Boeing Tiltrotor Programs and Director of the Bell Boeing V-22 Program: “It also enables the US Navy to begin advancing its carrier on-board delivery fleet with modern tiltrotor aircraft. It’s a true win-win.”
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