US Marines To Upgrade V-22 Osprey Fleet

The US Marine Corps is planning to upgrade 131 'A and 'B' model Ospreys up to the 'C' spec in order to access the higher availability rates offered by the 'C' variant, US media reported today.

The Marines are in discussion with Boeing to establish the likely costs of these upgrades and ways to upgrade more than half of the service’s 239 V-22 Ospreys to improve readiness.

The C model adds a variety of improvements on earlier models, including a redesigned Environmental Control System (ECS) to keep devices and troops from overheating.

The C models in the elite unit that flies the president and those who travel with him, boast higher readiness rates than do any regular Marine units, by a factor of three, Lt. Gen. Jon Davis said in an interview.

The C models boast a new weather radar system to improve navigation in bad weather, a redesigned Environmental Conditioning System for a more comfortable flight, and.an improved electronic warfare suite to handle both air to air and ground to air threats. These models also have improved cockpit displays.