Naval Air Systems Command has awarded the Bell Boeing V-22 program a five-year contract for the production and delivery of 99 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, including seven CV-22 models for the Air Force and 92 MV-22s for the Marine Corps, according to a June 13 Boeing release. The contract, valued at some $6.5 billion, also includes a provision for up to 23 additional aircraft. The multi-year contract is expected to save the government about $1 billion, states the release. “Signing the contract speaks volumes towards the confidence our services have in the V-22 Osprey,” said marine Col. Greg Masiello, V-22 joint program office program manager. “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 352nd Special Operations Group at RAF Mildenhall, England, is expected to receive the first of 10 CV-22 Ospreys this month. The Air Force also hopes to forward deploy a CV-22 squadron in the Asia-Pacific region, although officials have not yet released an exact location.
Amid NATO’s continued push to ramp up air defenses in Eastern Europe, Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall swung by seven allied countries to boost relations last week, including those on Russia’s and Ukraine’s doorstep.