V-22 Osprey
MV-22 Marine Corps Variant
The Marine Corps’ MV-22 tiltrotor aircraft, which is designated as the "baseline" variant, is a vertical/short takeoff and landing medium lift assault, self-deployment, and sustained land operations capable air vehicle. The MV-22 must provide combat assault transport of Marines in the initial assault waves and follow-on stages of amphibious operations and subsequent operations ashore. It must also be capable of supporting the following secondary mission tasks: combat assault transport of supplies and equipment, evacuations and maritime special operations, mobile forward area refueling and rearming operations, casualty evacuation, and Tactical Recovery of Aircraft and Personnel (TRAP) operations. The aircraft must therefore be self-deployable, capable of handling 24 combat equipped troops, capable of operationally lifting external loads up to 10,000 pounds and able to operate in adverse weather, day or night from air capable ships.
The MV-22 is intended to provide the speed, endurance, radius of action, payload, and survivability needed to support the United States Marine Corps' (USMC) operational concepts. MV-22 squadrons must be capable of rapidly embarking aboard and operating from air capable ships in support of training, contingency, combat, and non-combat operations. The aircraft's performance enhancements and improved systems are intended to support the rapid Ship-To-Objective Maneuver (STOM) and provide a greater operational reach for embarked Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) elements.
Operational Maneuver From The Sea (OMFTS) missions require the seamless maneuver of MAGTF assault forces from a ship directly to an inland objective without the operational pause inherent with the historical use of Force Beachhead Lines. MV-22 squadrons must be capable of landing the assault elements of a Marine Expeditionary Force ashore within a time span of 90 minutes utilizing projected Navy amphibious lift and Marine Corps force structure in support of OMFTS. The typical OMFTS scenario will originate with an over-the-horizon shipboard launch, at night, in low visibility or adverse weather. The over-water portion of the flight will likely include a low to medium altitude flight profile until coastal penetration or arrival at designated control points. Once overland or prior to reaching the probable point of first enemy contact, terrain flight/terrain masking techniques will likely be used en route to the landing zone. Data burst communications and secure voice will be used between Command and Control (C2) agencies and the aircraft for mission coordination in order to minimize threat direction finding, jamming and intrusion opportunities.
Other Expeditionary Operations (OEO) missions include those combatant and non-combatant missions that fall short of traditional warfare. Typical OEO missions include, but are not limited to, Noncombatant Evacuation Operations (NEO), In-Extremis Hostage Rescue (IHR), Tactical Recovery of Aircraft and Personnel (TRAP), Disaster Relief, and Security operations. Similar to the OMFTS scenario, the typical OEO mission scenario will originate with an over-the-horizon shipboard launch, at night, in low visibility or adverse weather. The over-water portion of the flight could include a low to medium altitude flight profile until coastal penetration or arrival at designated control points and then change to terrain flight/terrain masking techniques for the remainder of the flight en route to the landing zone.
The MV-22 is intended to be capable of supporting committed forces from sea-based shipping, austere forward operating bases, or expeditionary airfield facilities. During the conduct of sustained operations ashore (SOA), the MV-22 will use its Vertical and Short Takeoff and Landing (V/STOL) performance to make multiple takeoffs and landings on a variety of air capable ships and diverse terrain in support of committed forces. Diverse mission requirements will require the MV-22 to fly day or night, in favorable or adverse weather, at altitudes ranging from terrain flight regimes to above 10,000 feet MSL.
The Marine Corps will employ a phased strategy for the transition of the Marine Corps Medium Lift fleet to the MV-22 aircraft. Twenty-two CH-46E/CH-53D squadrons will transition to the MV-22 aircraft (18 active and four reserve). Upon transition, each squadron will maintain an aircraft inventory (Primary Aircraft Authorized (PAA)) of 12 aircraft. The estimated time-to-train for a squadron transitioning to the MV-22 aircraft is approximately 24-30 months (Stand-down, Transition, Post-Transition, Pre-Deployment Training).
Initial training for Developmental and Operational Test personnel from the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD), Patuxent River, Maryland, and Multi-service Operational Test Team will be conducted at the contractor’s facilities, and at NAWCAD, Patuxent River. Initial training for fleet cadre personnel will be conducted at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) New River, North Carolina. Service and mission-unique training will be developed to support each service’s unique mission requirements. Marine Medium Tilt-Rotor Training Squadron 204, MCAS New River, will be designated the Fleet Readiness Squadron for V-22 aircrew and the Fleet Replacement Enlisted Skills Training, for maintenance training. Air Force V-22 maintenance training will be provided at MCAS, New River. A CV-22 school within the 58 Special Operations Wing at Kirtland Air Force Base, Albuquerque, New Mexico will provide SOF peculiar aircrew training.
The Marine Corps Initial Operational Capability (IOC) (12 MV-22 fielded) was scheduled for FY01. The Air Force IOC (12 combat coded CV-22s fielded) is scheduled for FY05. The Navy IOC is yet to be determined, but the projected Introduction Date is around 2008. An estimated final procurement of 360 aircraft for the Marine Corp is proposed, allowing for a 1.0 percent attrition rate.
