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110-476: The Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey is an American multi-use, tiltrotor military transport and cargo aircraft with both vertical takeoff and landing ( VTOL ) and short takeoff and landing ( STOL ) capabilities. It is designed to combine the functionality of a conventional helicopter with the long-range, high-speed cruise performance of a turboprop aircraft. The V-22 is operated by the United States and Japan, and
220-539: A powered lift aircraft by the Federal Aviation Administration . For takeoff and landing, it typically operates as a helicopter with the nacelles vertical and rotors horizontal. Once airborne, the nacelles rotate forward 90° in as little as 12 seconds for horizontal flight, converting the V-22 to a more fuel-efficient, higher-speed aircraft, like a turboprop aircraft. STOL rolling-takeoff and landing capability
330-747: A Combat Mission Need Statement for armor to protect V-22 passengers. NAVAIR worked with a Florida-based composite armor company and the Army Aviation Development Directorate to develop and deliver the advanced ballistic stopping system (ABSS) by October 2014. Costing $ 270,000, the ABSS consists of 66 plates fitting along interior bulkheads and deck, adding 800 lb (360 kg) to the aircraft's weight, affecting payload and range. The ABSS can be installed or removed when needed in hours and partially assembled in pieces for partial protection of specific areas. As of May 2015, 16 kits had been delivered to
440-578: A bid for an enlarged version of the XV-15 in 1983. The Bell Boeing team received a preliminary design contract that year, which led to the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey . Following wind tunnel and flight testing by Bell, the aircraft was then moved to NASA Dryden , which is at Edwards Air Force Base in the California High Desert. The XV-15 flight testing continued expanding its flight envelope. It
550-424: A common central gearbox so that one engine can power both proprotors if an engine failure occurs. Either engine can power both proprotors through the wing driveshaft. However, the V-22 is generally not capable of hovering on one engine. If a proprotor gearbox fails, that proprotor cannot be feathered , and both engines must be stopped before an emergency landing . The autorotation characteristics are poor because of
660-511: A contract for Block C upgrades was awarded to Bell Boeing. In February 2012, the USMC received the first V-22C, featuring a new radar, additional mission management and electronic warfare equipment. In 2015, options for upgrading all aircraft to the V-22C standard were examined. On 12 June 2013, the U.S. DoD awarded a $ 4.9 billion contract for 99 V-22s in production Lots 17 and 18, including 92 MV-22s for
770-431: A conventional fixed-wing aircraft . For vertical flight, the rotors are angled so the plane of rotation is horizontal, generating lift the way a normal helicopter rotor does. As the aircraft gains speed, the rotors are progressively tilted forward, with the plane of rotation eventually becoming vertical. In this mode the rotors provide thrust as a propeller , and the airfoil of the fixed wings takes over providing
880-571: A converted nacelle. Many USMC ground vehicles can run on aviation fuel; a refueling V-22 could service these. In late 2014, it was stated that V-22 tankers could be in use by 2017, but contract delays pushed IOC to late 2019. As part of a 26 May 2016 contract award to Boeing, Cobham was contracted to adapt their FR-300 hose drum unit as used by the KC-130 in October 2016. While the Navy has not declared its interest in
990-532: A crash in Chesapeake Bay on 20 July 1955, destroying the prototype aircraft but not seriously injuring the pilot. The Transcendental 1-G was the first tiltrotor aircraft to have flown, and it accomplished most of a helicopter-to-aircraft transition in flight to within ten degrees of true horizontal aircraft flight. The Model 2 was developed and flew shortly afterward, but it did not fly much beyond hover tests. The United States Air Force withdrew funding in favor of
1100-435: A cruise speed of 300 knots, a top speed of 330 knots, a ceiling of 25,000 feet, and a range of 500 nautical miles. In vertical flight, the tiltrotor uses controls very similar to a twin or tandem-rotor helicopter. Yaw is controlled by tilting its rotors in opposite directions. Roll is provided through differential power or thrust. Pitch is provided through rotor blades cyclic -, or nacelle , tilt. Vertical motion
1210-461: A deadly V-22 accident , flight testing found it to be less susceptible to VRS than conventional helicopters. A GAO report stated that the V-22 is "less forgiving than conventional helicopters" during VRS. Several test flights to explore VRS characteristics were canceled. The USMC trains pilots in the recognition of and recovery from VRS, and has instituted operational envelope limits and instrumentation to help avoid VRS conditions. On 28 September 2005,
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#17328370455311320-510: A few tiltrotor projects, mostly unmanned such as the Mil Mi-30 , and has started another in 2015. Around 2005 –2010, Bell and Boeing teamed up again to perform a conceptual study of a larger Quad TiltRotor (QTR) for the US Army's Joint Heavy Lift (JHL) program. The QTR is a larger, four rotor version of the V-22 with two tandem wings sets of fixed wings and four tilting rotors. In January 2013,
1430-604: A five-year production contract in 2013. Each CV-22 cost $ 73 million (~$ 92.6 million in 2023) in the FY 2014 budget. On 15 April 2010, the Naval Air Systems Command awarded Bell Boeing a $ 42.1 million (~$ 57.4 million in 2023) contract to design an integrated processor in response to avionics obsolescence and add new network capabilities. By 2014, Raytheon began providing an avionics upgrade that includes situational awareness and blue force tracking . In 2009,
1540-485: A helicopter. In vertical flight, the mono tiltrotor uses controls very similar to a coaxial helicopter, such as the Kamov Ka-50 . Yaw is controlled for instance by increasing the lift on the upper proprotor while decreasing the lift on the lower proprotor. Roll and pitch are provided through rotor cyclic. Vertical motion is controlled with conventional rotor blade blade pitch . Bell XV-15 The Bell XV-15
1650-522: A lower mishap rate. The average cost per flight hour is US$ 9,156 , whereas the Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion cost about $ 20,000 (~$ 28,320 in 2023) per flight hour in 2007. V-22 ownership cost was $ 83,000 per hour in 2013. In 2022, the Pentagon evaluated its cost per flight hour at $ 23,941. While technically capable of autorotation if both engines fail in helicopter mode, a safe landing
1760-578: A major design concept advance: instead of engines in the fuselage, the XV-15 moved the engines out to the rotating wingtip pods, directly coupled to the rotors. The normal path for power was directly from the engine into a speed-reduction gearbox and into the rotor/propeller without any long shafts involved. There was still a driveshaft along the wings for emergency use to transfer power to the opposite rotor in case of engine failure, but that shaft did not normally carry any power loads, allowing it to be lighter. The tilting engine concept introduced complexities in
1870-517: A need for "a new type of aircraft, that could not only take off and land vertically but also could carry combat troops, and do so at speed." Additionally, a concentrated force is vulnerable to a single nuclear weapon . Airborne solutions with high speed and range allow for their rapid dispersal to reduce this vulnerability. The U.S. Department of Defense began the JVX aircraft program in 1981, under U.S. Army leadership. The established tactical purpose of
1980-415: A runway. A drawback however is that a tiltrotor suffers considerably reduced payload when taking off from high altitude. A mono tiltrotor aircraft uses a tiltable rotating propeller , or coaxial proprotor , for lift and propulsion . For vertical flight the proprotor is angled to direct its thrust downwards, providing lift. In this mode of operation the craft is essentially identical to a helicopter. As
2090-612: A single reciprocating engine. Development started on the Model 1-G in 1947, though it did not fly until 1954. The Model 1-G flew for about a year until a crash in Chesapeake Bay on July 20, 1955, destroying the prototype aircraft but not seriously injuring the pilot. The Model 2 was developed and flew shortly afterwards, but the US Air Force withdrew funding in favor of the Bell XV-3 and it did not fly much beyond hover tests. The Transcendental 1-G
2200-505: A traversable nose-mounted weapon connected to a helmet-mounted sight; recoil complicated integrating a forward-facing gun. A pylon could carry 300 lb (140 kg) of munitions. However, by 2019, the USMC opted for IDWS upgrades over adopting new weapons. Boeing is developing a roll-on/roll-off aerial refueling kit, which would give the V-22 the ability to refuel other aircraft. Having an aerial refueling capability that can be based on Wasp-class amphibious assault ships would increase
2310-507: Is achieved by having the nacelles tilted forward up to 45°. Other orientations are possible. Pilots describe the V-22 in airplane mode as comparable to the C-130 in feel and speed. It has a ferry range of over 2,100 nmi. Its operational range is 1,100 nmi. Composite materials make up 43% of the airframe , and the proprotor blades also use composites. For storage, the V-22's rotors fold in 90 seconds and its wing rotates to align, front-to-back, with
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#17328370455312420-468: Is an aircraft that generates lift and propulsion by way of one or more powered rotors (sometimes called proprotors ) mounted on rotating shafts or nacelles usually at the ends of a fixed wing . Almost all tiltrotors use a transverse rotor design, with a few exceptions that use other multirotor layouts. Tiltrotor design combines the VTOL capability of a helicopter with the speed and range of
2530-478: Is an American tiltrotor VTOL aircraft. It was the second successful experimental tiltrotor aircraft and the first to demonstrate the concept's high speed performance relative to conventional helicopters. The idea of building VTOL aircraft using helicopter-like rotors at the wingtips originated in the 1930s. The first design resembling modern tiltrotors was patented by George Lehberger in May 1930, but he did not develop
2640-525: Is controlled with conventional rotor blade pitch and either a conventional helicopter collective control lever (as in the Bell/Agusta BA609 ) or a unique control similar to a fixed-wing engine control called a thrust control lever (TCL) (as in the Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey ). The tiltrotor's advantage is significantly greater speed than a helicopter. In a helicopter the maximum forward speed
2750-403: Is defined by the turn speed of the rotor ; at some point the helicopter will be moving forward at the same speed as the spinning of the backwards-moving side of the rotor, so that side of the rotor sees zero or negative airspeed , and begins to stall . This limits modern helicopters to cruise speeds of about 150 knots / 277 km/h. However, with the tiltrotor this problem is avoided, because
2860-548: Is difficult. In 2005, a director of the Pentagon's testing office stated that in a loss of power while hovering below 1,600 feet (490 m), emergency landings "are not likely to be survivable." V-22 pilot Captain Justin "Moon" McKinney stated that: "We can turn it into a plane and glide it down, just like a C-130 ." A complete loss of power requires both engines to fail, as one engine can power both proprotors via interconnected drive shafts. Though vortex ring state (VRS) contributed to
2970-453: Is equipped with a glass cockpit , which incorporates four multi-function displays (MFDs, compatible with night-vision goggles ) and one shared central display unit, to display various images including: digimaps, imagery from the Turreted forward-looking infrared system primary flight instruments, navigation ( TACAN , VOR , ILS , GPS , INS ), and system status. The flight director panel of
3080-404: Is not only a new aircraft design, but a new type of aircraft that entered service in the 2000s, a tiltrotor compared to fixed wing and helicopter designs. The V-22 first flew in 1989 and after a long development was fielded in 2007. The design combines the vertical takeoff ability of a helicopter with the speed and range of a fixed-wing airplane. The failure of Operation Eagle Claw in 1980 during
3190-604: Is possible with the legacy helicopters". MV-22s deployed to Afghanistan in November 2009 with VMM-261 ; it saw its first offensive combat mission, Operation Cobra's Anger , on 4 December 2009. V-22s assisted in inserting 1,000 USMC and 150 Afghan troops into the Now Zad Valley of Helmand Province in southern Afghanistan to disrupt Taliban operations. General James Amos stated that Afghanistan's MV-22s had surpassed 100,000 flight hours, calling it "the safest airplane, or close to
3300-503: Is remotely operated by a gunner, targets are acquired via a separate pod using color television and forward looking infrared imagery. The IDWS was installed on half of the V-22s deployed to Afghanistan in 2009; it found limited use because of its 800 lb (360 kg) weight and restrictive rules of engagement . There were 32 IDWSs available to the USMC in June 2012; V-22s often flew without it as
3410-552: Is reportedly being examined, which may increase power by up to 26%, producing close to 10,000 shp (7,500 kW), and improve fuel consumption. In August 2014, the U.S. military issued a request for information for a potential drop-in replacement for the AE-1107C engines. Submissions must have a power rating of no less than 6,100 shp (4,500 kW) at 15,000 rpm, operate at up to 25,000 ft (7,600 m) at up to 130 degrees Fahrenheit (54 degrees Celsius), and fit into
Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey - Misplaced Pages Continue
3520-402: Is significant in certain uses. Speed and, more importantly, the benefit to overall response time is the principal virtue sought by the military forces that are using the tiltrotor. Tiltrotors are inherently less noisy in forward flight (airplane mode) than helicopters. This, combined with their increased speed, is expected to improve their utility in populated areas for commercial uses and reduce
3630-647: Is the tiltwing . Although two designs, the Canadair CL-84 Dynavert and the LTV XC-142 , were technical successes, neither entered production due to other issues. Tiltrotors generally have better hover efficiency than tiltwings, but less than helicopters. In 1968, Westland Aircraft displayed their own designs—a small experimental craft (We 01C) and a 68-seater transport We 028—at the SBAC Farnborough Airshow . In 1972, with funding from NASA and
3740-407: Is the first tiltrotor aircraft to have flown and accomplished most of a helicopter to aircraft transition in flight (to within 10 degrees of true horizontal aircraft flight). Built in 1953, the experimental Bell XV-3 flew until 1966, proving the fundamental soundness of the tiltrotor concept and gathering data about technical improvements needed for future designs. A related technology development
3850-555: The Bell XV-3 . The Bell XV-3 was first flown in 1955. Like its predecessors, the XV-3 had the engines in the fuselage and driveshafts transferring power out to tilting wingtip rotor assemblies. Other rotor concepts, such as slowed rotors , stopped rotors, folding rotors, and variable-diameter rotors, were investigated for subsequent designs, but Bell engineers Kenneth Wernicke and Bob Lichten deemed them unfeasible compared to experience with
3960-517: The FAA defined US tiltrotor noise rules to comply with ICAO rules. A noise certification will cost $ 588,000, same as for a large helicopter. AgustaWestland says they have free-flown a manned electric tiltrotor in 2013 called Project Zero , with its rotors inside the wingspan. In 2013, Bell Helicopter CEO John Garrison responded to Boeing's taking a different airframe partner for the US Army's future lift requirements by indicating that Bell would take
4070-557: The Focke-Achgelis Fa 269 , was developed starting in 1942, which was tilting to the ground, but never flew. Platt and LePage patented the PL-16, the first American tiltrotor aircraft. However, the company shut down in August 1946 due to lack of capital. Two prototypes which made it to flight were the one-seat Transcendental Model 1-G and two seat Transcendental Model 2, each powered by
4180-615: The Iran hostage crisis underscored that there were military roles for which neither conventional helicopters nor fixed-wing transport aircraft were well-suited. The United States Department of Defense (DoD) initiated a program to develop an innovative transport aircraft with long-range, high-speed, and vertical-takeoff capabilities, and the Joint-service Vertical take-off/landing Experimental (JVX) program officially began in 1981. A partnership between Bell Helicopter and Boeing Helicopters
4290-587: The Rolls-Royce engines and performing final assembly. Boeing Helicopters manufactures and integrates the fuselage, cockpit, avionics, and flight controls. The USMC variant received the MV-22 designation, and the USAF variant received CV-22; this was reversed from normal procedure to prevent USMC Ospreys from having a conflicting CV designation with aircraft carriers . Full-scale development began in 1986. On 3 May 1986, Bell Boeing
4400-523: The U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Marine Corps . Bell teamed with Boeing in developing a commercial tiltrotor, but Boeing went out in 1998 and Agusta came in for the Bell/Agusta BA609 . This aircraft was redesignated as the AW609 following the transfer of full ownership to AgustaWestland in 2011. Bell has also developed a tiltrotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the TR918 Eagle Eye . Russia has had
4510-534: The U.S. Army , Bell Helicopter Textron started development of the XV-15 , a twin-engine tiltrotor research aircraft. Two aircraft were built to prove the tiltrotor design and explore the operational flight envelope for military and civil applications. In 1981, using experience gained from the XV-3 and XV-15, Bell and Boeing Helicopters began developing the V-22 Osprey , a twin-turboshaft military tiltrotor aircraft for
Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey - Misplaced Pages Continue
4620-421: The wing tips , in that the coaxial proprotor is mounted to the aircraft's fuselage . As a result of this structural efficiency, a mono tiltrotor exceeds the transport efficiency (speed times payload) of both a helicopter and a conventional tiltrotor. One design study concluded that if the mono tiltrotor could be technically realized, it would be half the size, one-third the weight, and nearly twice as fast as
4730-471: The 12 MV-22s in Iraq had completed all assigned missions; mission capable rates averaged 57% to 68%, and an overall full mission capable rate of 6%. It also noted weaknesses in situational awareness, maintenance, shipboard operations and transport capability. The report concluded: "deployments confirmed that the V-22's enhanced speed and range enable personnel and internal cargo to be transported faster and farther than
4840-459: The 1930s. The first design resembling modern tiltrotors was patented by George Lehberger in May 1930, but he did not further develop the concept. In World War II , Weserflug in Germany came up with the concept of their P.1003/1 around 1938, which was tilting to the top with part of the wings but not the full wings, so it may be in between tilt-rotor and tilt-planes. Shortly after a German prototype ,
4950-494: The 3 km and 6 km time-to-climb. The first XV-15 prototype aircraft, N702NA, was transferred back to Bell for company development and demonstration use. On 20 August 1992, the aircraft crashed while being flown by a guest test pilot. He was lifting off for a final hover when a bolt slipped out of the collective control system on one pylon, causing that rotor to go to full pitch. The aircraft rolled upside down out of control and crashed inverted. While significantly damaged,
5060-624: The 64-knot (74 mph; 119 km/h) lower limit of a hurricane . The rotorwash usually prevents the starboard door's usage in hover; the rear ramp is used for rappelling and hoisting instead. The V-22 loses 10% of its vertical lift over a tiltwing design when operating in helicopter mode because of the wings' airflow resistance, while the tiltrotor design has better short takeoff and landing performance. V-22s must keep at least 25 ft (7.6 m) of vertical separation between each other to avoid each other's rotor wake, which causes turbulence and potentially control loss. The extreme rotor downwash of
5170-468: The F-35B's strike power, removing reliance on refueling assets solely based on large Nimitz -class aircraft carriers or land bases. The roll-on/roll-off kit can also be applicable to intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) functions. Boeing funded a non-functional demonstration on a VMX-22 aircraft; a prototype kit was successfully tested with an F/A-18 on 5 September 2013. The high-speed version of
5280-448: The MV-22 was sent to Haiti as part of Operation Unified Response relief efforts after an earthquake , the type's first humanitarian mission . In March 2011, two MV-22s from Kearsarge helped rescue a downed USAF F-15E crew member during Operation Odyssey Dawn . On 2 May 2011, following Operation Neptune's Spear , the body of Osama bin Laden , founder of the al-Qaeda terrorist group,
5390-446: The Pentagon formally approved full-rate production, increasing from 11 V-22s per year to between 24 and 48 per year by 2012. Of the 458 total planned, 360 are for the USMC, 50 for the USAF, and 48 for the Navy at an average cost of $ 110 million per aircraft, including development costs. The V-22 had an incremental flyaway cost of $ 67 million per aircraft in 2008, The Navy had hoped to shave about $ 10 million off that cost via
5500-562: The Senate's decision, the Department of Defense instructed the Navy not to spend more money on the V-22. As development cost projections greatly increased in 1988, Defense Secretary Dick Cheney tried to defund it from 1989 to 1992, but was overruled by Congress , which provided unrequested program funding. Multiple studies of alternatives found the V-22 provided more capability and effectiveness with similar operating costs. The Clinton Administration
5610-605: The USAF. In 2015, Bell Boeing set up the V-22 Readiness Operations Center at Ridley Park, Pennsylvania, to gather information from each aircraft to improve fleet performance in a similar manner as the F-35's Autonomic Logistics Information System. Two programs, the V-22 Cockpit Technology Replacement (VeCToR) and Renewed V-22 Aircraft Modernization Program (ReVAMP), are being studied to upgrade
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#17328370455315720-623: The USMC is to perform an amphibious landing , which the JVX program promised to facilitate. The USMC's primary helicopter model, the CH-46 Sea Knight , was aging, and no replacement had been accepted. Because the USMC's amphibious capability would be significantly reduced without the CH-46, USMC leadership believed a proposal to merge the Marine Corps with the Army was a credible threat. This potential merger
5830-699: The USMC, for completion in September 2019. A provision gives NAVAIR the option to order 23 more Ospreys. As of June 2013, the combined value of all contracts placed totaled $ 6.5 billion. In 2013, Bell laid off production staff following the US's order being cut to about half of the planned number. Production rate went from 40 in 2012 to 22 planned for 2015. Manufacturing robots have replaced older automated machines for increased accuracy and efficiency; large parts are held in place by suction cups and measured electronically. In March 2014, Air Force Special Operations Command issued
5940-470: The V-22 as unsafe, overpriced, and inadequate; the USMC responded that the article's data was partly obsolete, inaccurate, and held high expectations for any new field of aircraft. In 2011, the controversial defense industry-supported Lexington Institute reported that the average mishap rate per flight hour over the past 10 years was the lowest of any USMC rotorcraft, approximately half of the average fleet accident rate. In 2011, Wired magazine reported that
6050-549: The V-22 completed its final operational evaluation, including long-range deployments, high altitude, desert and shipboard operations; problems previously identified had reportedly been resolved. U.S. Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) worked on software upgrades to increase the maximum speed from 250 to 270 knots (460 to 500 km/h; 290 to 310 mph), increase helicopter mode altitude limit from 10,000 to 12,000 feet (3,000 to 3,700 m) or 14,000 feet (4,300 m), and increase lift performance. By 2012, changes had been made to
6160-491: The V-22 has caused incidents when rappelling or fast roping from the aircraft, including a soldier being blown 3 meters away from his intended dismount point by the force of the downwash. The downwash is strong enough to destroy unstrengthened helipads and can create flying debris in the landing zone that can injure bystanders or potentially damage the aircraft; an incident involving a Marine Corps Osprey in 2010 resulted in 10 bystanders suffering downwash-related injuries. The V-22
6270-495: The V-22". Obtaining spares proved problematic. By July 2008, the V-22 had flown 3,000 sorties totaling 5,200 hours in Iraq. General George J. Trautman III praised its greater speed and range over legacy helicopters, saying "it turned his battle space from the size of Texas into the size of Rhode Island." Despite attacks by man-portable air-defense systems and small arms, none were lost to enemy fire by late 2009. A Government Accountability Office study stated that by January 2009,
6380-613: The V-22's engines can potentially damage ships' flight decks and coatings. NAVAIR devised a temporary fix of portable heat shields placed under the engines and determined that a long-term solution would require redesigning decks with heat resistant coating, passive thermal barriers, and ship structure changes. Similar changes are required for F-35B operations. In 2009, DARPA requested solutions for installing robust flight deck cooling. A heat-resistant anti-skid metal spray named Thermion has been tested on USS Wasp . The V-22's two Rolls-Royce AE 1107C engines are connected by drive shafts to
6490-493: The V-22's estimated lifetime cost grew by 61%, mostly for maintenance and support. Its [The V-22's] production costs are considerably greater than for helicopters with equivalent capability – specifically, about twice as great as for the CH-53E , which has a greater payload and an ability to carry heavy equipment the V-22 cannot ... an Osprey unit would cost around $ 60 million to produce, and $ 35 million for
6600-677: The V-22B standard. At this stage, testing focused on flight envelope expansion, measuring flight loads, and supporting the EMD redesign. Flight testing with the early V-22s continued into 1997. Flight testing of four full-scale development V-22s began at the Naval Air Warfare Test Center, Naval Air Station Patuxent River , Maryland . The first EMD flight took place on 5 February 1997. Testing soon fell behind schedule. The first of four low rate initial production aircraft, ordered on 28 April 1997,
6710-453: The XV-3 project. One of the major problems with the early tiltrotor aircraft designs was that the driveshafts carrying power from the fuselage out to the wingtip rotors, along with the gearbox and tilting mechanisms at the wingtips, had substantial loads placed upon them and were heavy. They were transferring large amounts of power and torque long distances for an aircraft power transmission system. The XV-15 experimental aircraft introduced
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#17328370455316820-401: The added weight reduced cargo capacity. The V-22's speed allows it to outrun conventional support helicopters, thus a self-defense capability was required on long-range independent operations. The infrared gun camera proved useful for reconnaissance and surveillance. Other weapons were studied to provide all-quadrant fire, including nose guns, door guns, and non-lethal countermeasures to work with
6930-411: The aircraft and extend its life. VeCToR would upgrade the cockpit with more modern electronics in the 2030s and 40s, and ReVAMP would be a fuselage life extension program to extend the V-22's service beyond the 2060s. The Osprey is the world's first production tiltrotor aircraft, with one three-bladed proprotor , turboshaft engine, and transmission nacelle mounted on each wingtip. It is classified as
7040-500: The aircraft is moving slowly. The V-22 can be armed with one 7.62×51mm NATO ( .308 in caliber ) M240 machine gun or .50 in caliber (12.7 mm) M2 machine gun on the rear loading ramp. A 12.7 mm (.50 in) GAU-19 three-barrel Gatling gun mounted below the nose was studied. BAE Systems developed a belly-mounted, remotely operated gun turret system, the Interim Defense Weapon System (IDWS); it
7150-581: The aircraft was largely structurally intact and both the pilot and copilot escaped with only minor injuries from the crash. The cockpit of the aircraft was salvaged and converted for use as a flight simulator . The second XV-15 prototype, N703NA, was used for tests supporting the military V-22 Osprey program and Bell/Agusta BA609 civilian transport (still under development in 2023 as the AgustaWestland AW609). It continued in primarily NASA test operations until September 2003. The shortest takeoff distance
7260-502: The capability, it could be leveraged later on. In October 2019, the fleet of 375 V-22s operated by the U.S. Armed Forces surpassed the 500,000 flight hour mark. A fatal accident in December 2023, led the fleet being grounded until March 2024 by the US and Japan. Since March 2000, VMMT-204 has conducted training for the type. In December 2005, Lieutenant General James Amos , commander of II Marine Expeditionary Force , accepted delivery of
7370-414: The co-located Moffett Field Naval Air Station for several years during the 1980s. Both XV-15s were flown actively throughout the 1980s testing aerodynamics and tiltrotor applications for civilian and military aircraft types that might follow. The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale classifies the XV-15 as a Rotodyne, and as such it holds the speed record of 456 kilometres per hour (283 mph), and
7480-472: The cockpit management system allows for fully coupled (autopilot) functions that take the aircraft from forward flight into a 50 ft (15 m) hover with no pilot interaction other than programming the system. The fuselage is not pressurized , and personnel must wear on-board oxygen masks above 10,000 feet. The V-22 has triple-redundant fly-by-wire flight control systems; these have computerized damage control to automatically isolate damaged areas. With
7590-408: The concept further. In World War II , a German prototype called the Focke-Achgelis Fa 269 was developed starting in 1942, but it never flew. Two prototypes that made it to flight were the one-seat Transcendental Model 1-G and two-seat Transcendental Model 2, both powered by single reciprocating engines. Development started on the Model 1-G in 1947, and it flew in 1954. The Model 1-G flew until
7700-427: The craft gains speed, the coaxial proprotor is slowly tilted forward, with the blades eventually becoming perpendicular to the ground. In this mode the wing provides the lift, and the wing's greater efficiency helps the tiltrotor achieve its high speed. In this mode, the craft is essentially a turboprop aircraft. A mono tiltrotor aircraft is different from a conventional tiltrotor in which the proprotors are mounted to
7810-766: The current ramp-mounted machine gun and the IDWS. In 2014, the USMC studied new weapons with "all-axis, stand-off, and precision capabilities", akin to the AGM-114 Hellfire , AGM-176 Griffin , Joint Air-to-Ground Missile , and GBU-53/B SDB II. In November 2014, Bell Boeing conducted self-funded weapons tests, equipping a V-22 with a pylon on the front fuselage and replacing the AN/AAQ-27A EO camera with an L-3 Wescam MX-15 sensor/ laser designator . 26 unguided Hydra 70 rockets, two guided APKWS rockets, and two Griffin B missiles were fired over five flights. The USMC and USAF sought
7920-438: The design of the engines and engine pods to be able to shift from operating horizontally to operating vertically. Those problems were addressed fairly early in the XV-15 program. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, NASA and other researchers worked extensively on theoretical and wind tunnel tests of various rotor pods. Two companies were involved in the research and proposing designs: Bell Helicopter and Boeing Vertol . The focus
8030-509: The engine and rotor assembly fixed together within the pod. This simplified the power transmission, but it had more complicated requirements for the engine design and was probably slightly heavier than the Boeing proposal. After a review of both proposals, NASA selected the Bell 301 for further development, and a contract for further R&D was issued on 31 July 1973. Extensive engineering and testing took
8140-699: The entire wing. This method trades off efficiency in vertical flight for efficiency in STOL / STOVL operations. The first work in the direction of a tilt-rotor (French "Convertible") seems to have originated ca. 1902 by the French-Swiss brothers Henri and Armand Dufaux, for which they got a patent in February 1904, and made their work public in April 1905. Concrete ideas of constructing vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft using helicopter-like rotors were pushed further in
8250-520: The existing wing nacelles with minimal structural or external modifications. In September 2014, the U.S. Navy, who already purchase engines separately to airframes, was reportedly considering an alternative engine supplier to reduce costs. The General Electric GE38 is one option, giving commonality with the Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion . The V-22 has a maximum rotor downwash speed of over 80 knots (92 mph; 150 km/h), more than
8360-443: The expense of payload . As a result of this reduced payload, some estimate that a tiltrotor does not exceed the transport efficiency (speed times payload) of a helicopter, while others conclude the opposite. Additionally, the tiltrotor propulsion system is more complex than a conventional helicopter due to the large, articulated nacelles and the added wing; however, the improved cruise efficiency and speed improvement over helicopters
8470-636: The first batch of MV-22s. The unit reactivated in March 2006 as the first MV-22 squadron, redesignated as VMM-263 . In 2007, HMM-266 became Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 266 ( VMM-266 ) and reached initial operational capability . It started replacing the CH-46 Sea Knight in 2007; the CH-46 was retired in October 2014. On 13 April 2007, the USMC announced the first V-22 combat deployment at Al Asad Airbase , Iraq. V-22s in Iraq's Anbar province were used for transport and scout missions. General David Petraeus ,
8580-492: The first sea trials on USS Wasp in December 1990. The fourth and fifth prototypes crashed in 1991–92. From October 1992 to April 1993, the V-22 was redesigned to reduce empty weight, simplify manufacture, and reduce build costs; it was designated V-22B. Flights resumed in June 1993 after safety changes were made to the prototypes. Bell Boeing received a contract for the engineering manufacturing development (EMD) phase in June 1994. The prototypes were also modified to resemble
8690-519: The fuselage. Because of the requirement for folding rotors, their 38-foot (12 m) diameter is 5 feet (1.5 m) less than would be optimal for an aircraft of this size to conduct vertical takeoff, resulting in high disk loading . Most missions use fixed wing flight 75% or more of the time, reducing wear and tear and operational costs. This fixed wing flight is higher than typical helicopter missions allowing longer range line-of-sight communications for improved command and control . Exhaust heat from
8800-436: The greater effect of the airplane-mode control surfaces. The nacelles can rotate past vertical to 97.5° for rearward flight. The V-22 can use the "80 Jump" orientation with the nacelles at 80° for takeoff to quickly achieve high altitude and speed. The controls automate to the extent that it can hover in low wind without hands on the controls. New USMC V-22 pilots learn to fly helicopter and multiengine fixed-wing aircraft before
8910-462: The hardware, software, and procedures in response to hydraulic fires in the nacelles, vortex ring state control issues, and opposed landings; reliability has improved accordingly. An MV-22 landed and refueled on board Nimitz in an evaluation in October 2012. In 2013, cargo handling trials occurred on Harry S. Truman . In October 2015, NAVAIR tested rolling landings and takeoffs on a carrier, preparing for carrier onboard delivery . Development
9020-458: The helicopter equivalent. In 2001, Lieutenant Colonel Odin Leberman, commander of the V-22 squadron at Marine Corps Air Station New River , was relieved of duty after allegations that he instructed his unit to falsify maintenance records to make it appear more reliable. Three officers were implicated for their roles in the falsification scandal. In October 2007, a Time magazine article condemned
9130-407: The hose/drogue refueling system can be deployed at 185 knots (213 mph; 343 km/h) and function at up to 250 knots (290 mph; 460 km/h). A mix of tanks and a roll-on/roll-off bladder house up to 12,000 lb (5,400 kg) of fuel. The ramp must open to extend the hose, then raised once extended. It can refuel rotorcraft, needing a separate drogue used specifically by helicopters and
9240-446: The later Bell 222 conventional helicopter), in which the engines were in fixed pods at the end of each wing, and a small, rotating pod with the rotor was slightly closer to the fuselage on the wing. This design simplified the engine design by keeping it horizontal at all times without having very long driveshafts to the tilting rotors. In the Bell design, Bell Model 301, the whole wingtip pod rotated between horizontal and vertical, with
9350-637: The lead itself in developing the Bell V-280 Valor , with Lockheed Martin. In 2014, the Clean Sky 2 program (by the European Union and industry) awarded AgustaWestland and its partners $ 328 million to develop a "next-generation civil tiltrotor" design for the offshore market, with Critical Design Review near the end of 2016. The goals are tilting wing sections, 11 metric tons Maximum takeoff weight , seating for 19 to 22 passengers, first flight in 2021,
9460-399: The lift via the forward motion of the entire aircraft. Since the rotors can be configured to be more efficient for propulsion (e.g. with root-tip twist) and it avoids a helicopter's issues of retreating blade stall , the tiltrotor can achieve higher cruise speeds and takeoff weights than helicopters. A tiltrotor aircraft differs from a tiltwing in that only the rotor pivots rather than
9570-399: The nacelles pointing straight up in conversion mode at 90° the flight computers command it to fly like a helicopter, cyclic forces being applied to a conventional swashplate at the rotor hub. With the nacelles in airplane mode (0°) the flaperons , rudder, and elevator fly similar to an airplane. This is a gradual transition, occurring over the nacelles' rotation range; the lower the nacelles,
9680-609: The next four years to complete the development of the aircraft. The first of two Bell XV-15s, tail number N702NA , first flew on 3 May 1977. After minimal flight tests at the Bell test facility, the aircraft was moved to Ames Research Center in Sunnyvale, California, where it was then mounted in the large Ames wind tunnel and tested extensively in various simulated flight environments. For the U.S. Department of Defense Joint-service Vertical take-off/landing Experimental (JVX) aircraft program, Bell Helicopter and Boeing Vertol teamed to submit
9790-408: The proprotors are perpendicular to the motion in the high-speed portions of the flight regime (and thus not subject to this reverse flow condition), so the tiltrotor has relatively high maximum speed—over 300 knots / 560 km/h has been demonstrated in the two types of tiltrotors flown so far, and cruise speeds of 250 knots / 460 km/h are achieved. This speed is achieved somewhat at
9900-589: The rotors' low inertia . The AE 1107C engine has a two-shaft axial design with a 14-stage compressor, an effusion-cooled annular combustor, a two-stage gas generator turbine, and two-stage power turbine. In September 2013, Rolls-Royce announced that it had increased the AE-1107C engine's power by 17% via the adoption of a new Block 3 turbine, increased fuel valve flow capacity, and software updates; it should also improve reliability in high-altitude, high-heat conditions and boost maximum payload limitations from 6,000 to 8,000 ft (1,800 to 2,400 m). A Block 4 upgrade
10010-424: The safest airplane" in the USMC inventory. The V-22's Afghan deployment was set to end in late 2013 with the drawdown of combat operations; however, VMM-261 was directed to extend operations for casualty evacuation , being quicker than helicopters enabled more casualties to reach a hospital within the ' golden hour '; they were fitted with medical equipment such as heart monitors and triage supplies. In January 2010,
10120-555: The safety record had excluded ground incidents; the USMC responded that MV-22 reporting used the same standards as other Navy aircraft. By 2012, the USMC reported fleetwide readiness rate had risen to 68%; however, the DOD's Inspector General later found 167 of 200 reports had "improperly recorded" information. Captain Richard Ulsh blamed errors on incompetence, saying that they were "not malicious" or deliberate. The required mission capable rate
10230-712: The threat of detection for military uses. Tiltrotors, however, are typically as loud as equally sized helicopters in hovering flight. Noise simulations for a 90-passenger tiltrotor indicate lower cruise noise inside the cabin than a Bombardier Dash 8 airplane, although low-frequency vibrations may be higher. Tiltrotors also provide substantially greater cruise altitude capability than helicopters. Tiltrotors can easily reach 6,000 m / 20,000 ft or more whereas helicopters typically do not exceed 3,000 m / 10,000 ft altitude. This feature will mean that some uses that have been commonly considered only for fixed-wing aircraft can now be supported with tiltrotors without need of
10340-608: The tiltrotor, the CV-22B, in 2009. Since entering service with the Marine Corps and Air Force, the Osprey has been deployed in transportation and medevac operations over Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, and Kuwait. The U.S. Navy began using the CMV-22B for carrier onboard delivery duties in 2021. The failure of Operation Eagle Claw , the Iran hostage rescue mission, in 1980 demonstrated to the U.S. military
10450-601: The tiltrotor. Some V-22 pilots believe that former fixed-wing pilots may be preferable over helicopter users, as they are not trained to constantly adjust the controls in hover. Others say that experience with helicopters' hovering and precision is most important. As of April 2021 the US military does not track whether fixed-wing or helicopter pilots transition more easily to the V-22, according to USMC Colonel Matthew Kelly, V-22 project manager. He said that fixed-wing pilots are more experienced at instrument flying, while helicopter pilots are more experienced at scanning outside when
10560-449: The top U.S. military commander in Iraq, used one to visit troops on Christmas Day 2007; as did Barack Obama during his 2008 presidential campaign tour in Iraq . USMC Col. Kelly recalled how visitors were reluctant to fly on the unfamiliar aircraft, but after seeing its speed and ability to fly above ground fire, "All of a sudden, the entire flight schedule was booked. No senior officer wanted to go anywhere unless they could fly on
10670-499: Was 82%, but the average was 53% from June 2007 to May 2010. In 2010, Naval Air Systems Command aimed for an 85% reliability rate by 2018. From 2009 to 2014, readiness rates rose 25% to the "high 80s", while cost per flight hour had dropped 20% to $ 9,520 through a rigorous maintenance improvement program that focused on diagnosing problems before failures occur. As of 2015, although the V-22 requires more maintenance and has lower availability (62%) than traditional helicopters, it also has
10780-462: Was a lovable plane, it is the Bell XV-15... The machine, the hit of the show, performed a series of maneuvers including bowing to the crowd." Over the next year, Senator Barry Goldwater, Navy Secretary John Lehman, and other officials were offered guest co-piloting flights to promote tiltrotor technology for military development. The XV-15s were a standard demonstration in the annual summer airshow at
10890-436: Was able to successfully operate in both helicopter and normal aircraft flight modes and smoothly transition between the two. Once the aircraft was considered sufficiently tested, it was returned to Ames Research Center for further testing. The XV-15s were deemed sufficiently tested, and one aircraft was taken to the 1981 Paris Air Show for demonstration flights. The New York Times praised its performance. "And if ever there
11000-598: Was achieved with the nacelles at 75 degrees angle. After N703NA was retired from test operations, it was donated to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. The XV-15 was flown cross-country from Fort Worth, Texas to the museum before being decommissioned for display. It is now on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center at Washington Dulles International Airport . Data from Jane's All
11110-458: Was akin to a proposal by President Truman following World War II . The Office of the Secretary of Defense and Navy administration opposed the tiltrotor project, but pressure from Congress had a significant effect on the program's development. The Navy and USMC were given the lead in 1983. The JVX combined requirements from the USMC, USAF, Army and Navy. A request for preliminary design proposals
11220-431: Was awarded a US$ 1.714 billion contract for the V-22 by the U.S. Navy. At this point, all four U.S. military services had acquisition plans for the V-22. The first V-22 was publicly rolled out in May 1988. That year, the U.S. Army left the program, citing a need to focus its budget on more immediate aviation programs. In 1989, the V-22 survived two separate Senate votes that could have resulted in cancellation. Despite
11330-618: Was awarded a development contract in 1983 for the V-22 tiltrotor aircraft. The Bell-Boeing team jointly produces the aircraft. The V-22 first flew in 1989 and began flight testing and design alterations; the complexity and difficulties of being the first tiltrotor for military service led to many years of development. The United States Marine Corps (USMC) began crew training for the MV-22B Osprey in 2000 and fielded it in 2007; it supplemented and then replaced their Boeing Vertol CH-46 Sea Knights . The U.S. Air Force (USAF) fielded its version of
11440-401: Was awarded on 26 April 1983. The JVX aircraft was designated V-22 Osprey on 15 January 1985; by that March, the first six prototypes were being produced, and Boeing Vertol was expanded to handle the workload. Production work is split between Bell and Boeing. Bell Helicopter manufactures and integrates the wing, nacelles, rotors, drive system, tail surfaces, and aft ramp, as well as integrating
11550-456: Was delivered on 27 May 1999. The second sea trials were completed onboard USS Saipan in January 1999. During external load testing in April 1999, a V-22 transported the lightweight M777 howitzer . In 2000, there were two fatal crashes, killing a total of 23 marines , and the V-22 was again grounded while the crashes' causes were investigated and various parts were redesigned. In June 2005,
11660-651: Was flown by an MV-22 to the aircraft carrier Carl Vinson in the Arabian Sea , prior to his burial at sea . In 2013, several MV-22s received communications and seating modifications to support the Marine One presidential transport squadron because of the urgent need for CH-53Es in Afghanistan. In May 2010, Boeing announced plans to submit the V-22 for the VXX presidential transport replacement. Tiltrotor A tiltrotor
11770-455: Was issued in December 1982. Interest was expressed by Aérospatiale , Bell Helicopter, Boeing Vertol, Grumman , Lockheed , and Westland . Contractors were encouraged to form teams. Bell partnered with Boeing Vertol to submit a proposal for an enlarged version of the Bell XV-15 prototype on 17 February 1983. Since this was the only proposal the JVX program received, a preliminary design contract
11880-780: Was on tilt-rotor pods, integration of the tilting rotors with the wings and fuselage of the aircraft, and studying the airflow as the rotors tilted. Tilt rotors with fixed rotors and with folding rotors were investigated. What was to become the XV-15 program was launched in 1971 at NASA Ames Research Center . After preliminary work, a competition was held to award two $ 0.5 million research and development contracts for prototype designs. Companies that responded included Sikorsky Aircraft , Grumman Aircraft , Boeing Vertol, and Bell Helicopter. R&D contracts were issued to Bell Helicopter and Boeing Vertol on 20 October 1972. The two companies' design proposals were delivered on 22 January 1973. Boeing Vertol proposed its Model 222 (not to be confused with
11990-429: Was protracted and controversial, partly because of large cost increases, some of which were caused by a requirement to fold wings and rotors to fit aboard ships. The development budget was first set at US$ 2.5 billion in 1986, increasing to a projected US$ 30 billion in 1988. By 2008, US$ 27 billion had been spent and another US$ 27.2 billion was required for planned production numbers. Between 2008 and 2011,
12100-570: Was supportive of the V-22, helping it attain funding. Although the Army departed the program, it eventually developed and chose a tiltrotor to replace the UH-60 Blackhawk in the 21st century, and as of the mid-2020s the Army is planning to field the V-280 Valor tiltrotor. The first of six prototypes first flew on 19 March 1989 in the helicopter mode and on 14 September 1989 in fixed-wing mode. The third and fourth prototypes successfully completed
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