The MV-22B combines vertical takeoff and landing with fixed-wing speed and range. The aircraft can move Marines and cargo between amphibious ships, bases and austere shore locations.
The Osprey reached initial operational capability with the Marine Corps in 2007. Since then, the fleet has logged more than 686,500 flight hours across 114 operational deployments.
The aircraft supports combat operations, contested logistics, medical evacuations and humanitarian assistance. It currently provides 75 percent of all Marine Corps rotary-wing assault support.
“The MV-22B didn’t just join our fleet; it fundamentally changed the way the Marine Air-Ground Task Force generates combat power,” said Lt. Gen. William Swan, Deputy Commandant for Aviation. “It provides commanders with decision space that only speed and reach can provide, connecting ships, bases and distributed forces in ways previous generations could only imagine.”
Swan said Marine commanders now plan operations around the availability of the MV-22B. Marine Expeditionary Unit-based aircraft can extend operational reach to almost any location worldwide.
“Completing the MV-22B Program of Record is a significant milestone,” said Col. Robert Hurst, V-22 Joint Program Office Program Manager. “The V-22 Osprey sets the United States apart from every other military on the planet with the operational employment of tilt-rotor technology.”
Hurst said the aircraft has extended the reach and lethality of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force for 20 years. The V-22 Joint Program Office will now focus on readiness, capability improvements and fleet modernization.
The Marine Corps plans to keep the MV-22B operational through 2055. Current work includes improvements to nacelle wiring intended to reduce maintenance hours.
The service is also pursuing improved prop-rotor gear boxes with triple-melted, refined steel components. Other efforts include standardizing aircraft configurations and redesigning components to improve safety and sustainability.
“We cannot assume that because the MV-22B transformed Marine aviation once, its evolution is complete,” Swan said. “It is our responsibility to carry this legacy forward and ensure this aircraft remains ready, relevant, safe and lethal for the fight ahead.”
