Bell-Boeing To Supply 99 V-22 Ospreys To U.S Army

Bell-Boeing recently signed a second multiyear procurement (MYPII) contract with the U.S. Army to produce V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft.

The new multiyear contract authorizes purchase of 99 V-22s during the next five years with 92 MV-22s going to the U.S. Marine Corps and seven CV-22s to the U.S. Air Force.

“Signing this contract speaks volumes toward the confidence our services have in the V-22 Osprey” said Marine Corps Col. Greg Masiello, V-22 Joint Program Office (PMA 275) program manager based at Naval Air Station Patuxent, River, Md. “Since 2007, the V-22 has been continuously forward-deployed in a range of combat, humanitarian and special operations roles. Ospreys continue to transform our Marine Corps Air Ground Task Force and Air Force Special Operations by enabling missions not possible with conventional aircraft. The V-22 has helped save lives where others could not.”

In addition to securing acquisition of the aircraft for the next five years, the MYPII contract also saves taxpayer money with cost savings that wouldn’t be possible in repeating single-year contracts, Masiello said.

“This contract provides nearly $1 billion in taxpayer savings and ensures a stable production line for the program to accommodate and engage other domestic and international partnership opportunities," Masiello said.

Vince Tobin, executive director for Bell Boeing’s V-22 Program, which builds the Osprey under direction of PMA-275, called the aircraft versatile for the current fiscal climate. The Osprey is the ideal aircraft for an era when global militaries are being asked to do more with less,” Tobin said. “[The V-22] gives operators the ability to achieve groundbreaking operational efficiencies and maximize the use of precious resources like time, money and personnel. This contract will enable us to most efficiently build and deliver this aircraft to current and future customers around the world.”

There are currently 214 V-22 Ospreys in operation worldwide. They have amassed nearly 200,000 flight hours, with more than half of those logged in the past three years.

In 2008, NAVAIR awarded a five-year, $10.4 billion contract to Bell Boeing for 141 MV-22 Ospreys for the Marine Corps and 26 CV-22 Ospreys for the Air Force Special Operations Command. The first MYP contract covered purchases of aircraft from fiscal 2008-2012.