CV-22 delivered to Air Force



3/21/2006 - KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. (AFPN) -- A new chapter in Air Force aviation opened March 20 as the first operational CV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft arrived here.

The aircraft was flown from the test wing at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., by Lt. Gen. Michael W. Wooley, commander of Air Force Special Operations Command, to the 58th Special Operations Wing at Kirtland. The 58th provides advanced training to special operations pilots and aircrews.

The CV-22 Osprey is a special operations variant of the MV-22, currently used by the Marines. The aircraft has the unique ability to takeoff, land and hover like a helicopter, and it can tilt its propellers to fly like a conventional, prop-driven aircraft.

"The CV-22 has the capability to fly at turboprop speeds like a C-130 (Hercules), pull into helicopter mode and land like an MH-53J/M Pave Low," General Wooley said. "This is truly transformational for Air Force Special Operations Command."

This dual capability gives the CV-22 extended range, speed and versatility over any other AFSOC aircraft. The extended range and speed will allow the Air Force to conduct long-range infiltration and exfiltration missions. The CV-22 and MV-22 are very similar, with differences existing mainly in the avionics needed for special operations missions.

The 58th SOW is scheduled to receive four CV-22s by the end of June. The first operational CV-22 unit will operate out of Hurlburt Field, Fla., starting in 2007.

The initial pilot training includes 400 hours of interactive computer-based training, 60 simulator hours and 40 flying hours in the MV-22 version of the Osprey. This will be followed by CV-22 mission-specific training for AFSOC pilots and flight engineers at Kirtland.

Through the use of live-fire testing, the Osprey has proven to be four to eight times less vulnerable to enemy fire than current aircraft. It is 75 percent quieter, can fly higher and has one-tenth the infrared signature compared to most rotary aircraft.

The CV-22 currently costs $89.1 million. However, cost reduction initiatives and a multi-year procurement contract is expected to significantly reduce that price.

The Air Force plans on buying 50 CV-22s from now until 2017.


(bold emphasis by me.)

Quoted: Through the use of live-fire testing, the Osprey has proven to be four to eight times less vulnerable to enemy fire than current aircraft. It is 75 percent quieter, can fly higher and has one-tenth the infrared signature compared to most rotary aircraft.

I would hate to be the pilot who drew the short straw for that testing!

i hope for the sake of our airmen that they fixed this thing since the marines got their hands onit

I think it looks cool. I wish them much luck with them.

Quoted: i hope for the sake of our airmen that they fixed this thing since the marines got their hands onit

Your ignorance is showing again.

THEY FORGOT THE PART ABOUT IT BEING DEFENSELESS!!!!!  NO F***ING GUNS, NO PLANS FOR GUNS EITHER!!!!

These things are cool.

I just love watching the test flights up in Amarillo!  

I would have thought those things are sitting ducks, especially when making the "tilt" transition.  

Quoted: THEY FORGOT THE PART ABOUT IT BEING DEFENSELESS!!!!!  NO F***ING GUNS, NO PLANS FOR GUNS EITHER!!!!

There is a provision for a turrent mounted GAU-19 .50cal multi-barrel gun.

The USAF has been considering a self-defense weapon for the CV-22 and according to Ward Carroll, a board will meet in May to consider various candidates. The gun system is an MV-22 effort that the CV-22 may piggyback on eventually, but is not CV-22 unique. While there were no leading contenders mentioned, the General Dynamics Armament Systems .50-caliber weapon was selected in September 2000 for the on-again, off-again nose gun requirement of the MV-22. Based on the GAU-19/A, the three-barreled 209 kilogram system can kick out 1,200 rounds per minute and has an under-floor 750 round magazine that can be replenished in flight.

link to article

Quoted: I would have thought those things are sitting ducks, especially when making the "tilt" transition.

No more than any other rotarywing  A/C

Was being considered...

Not in the works at this time.  Also one GAU-19 Operated by the co-pilot won't make up for 3 M2 .50cal's or 3 GAU-2 7.62's operated by other crew members.  Right now all plans for the CV-22 are for a deep insertion unarmed target.  I'll pass, literally, I'm not flying on it , all the other Flight Engineers I know are pulling chocks out of AFSOC before it comes.  

Quoted: These things are cool. I just love watching the test flights up in Amarillo!

I really want to see one.

Quoted: I would have thought those things are sitting ducks, especially when making the "tilt" transition.

No more so than a hovering/slowly moving helicopter would be.

bump

I doubt they are slated for combat assaults, so door guns should do nicely.

They haven't been falling out of the sky, like some predicted. We've lost far more aircraft in developing other platforms, especially helicopters.

Quoted: I doubt they are slated for combat assaults, so door guns should do nicely. They haven't been falling out of the sky, like some predicted. We've lost far more aircraft in developing other platforms, especially helicopters.

I guess you really don't understand what the mission of the MH-53J Pave Low was, do you?  Or the fact that there are two huge props in the firing arc of where the weapon stations on the 53's used to be.

Not to sound like a dick, but the MH-53J is a deep insertion platform for Special Operations Forces, they routinely get into gun battles, more often than not they get into a lot of gun battles.

Right now there are NO PROVISIONS FOR WEAPONS!  NO DOOR GUNS, NO TURRET MOUNTED GAU-19'S, NO TAIL GUNS, NOT EVEN SHARP STICKS!

They are sending an unarmed aircraft in to replace another pretty heavily armed aircraft that is completely defenseless and not armored.  The Opsrey will be routinely subjected to ground fire as the MH-53J's are now.

Quoted: Through the use of live-fire testing, the Osprey has proven to be four to eight times less vulnerable to enemy fire than current aircraft. It is 75 percent quieter, can fly higher and has one-tenth the infrared signature compared to most rotary aircraft.

This, I find hard to believe, unless they are strictly talking about fast forward flight.

Had two of them fly overhead a few days ago.  Two words immediately came to mind.   Sitting Ducks.


They made a very distinctive sound with the rotors in near horizontal position.

They were so large they made an easy visual target from over a mile away.

And in helo mode, they were extremely slow moving, and the airport was 8 miles away.