First Aircraft Returned to Squadron in December
Bell Boeing has completed work on the first aircraft in an ongoing programme to improve nacelles on the V-22 Osprey tiltrotor.
A USAF CV-22 aircraft was modified at Bell’s Amarillo Assembly Center, where the V-22 production line is located. The first modified aircraft was returned to the 20th Special Operations Squadron at Cannon Air Force Base, NM, on 13 December. The second aircraft is presently undergoing modification.
The work is part of a contract signed in December 2020 by Bell Boeing and US Naval Air Systems Command which will see nacelle improvements carried across the fleet. The CV-22 is a variant optimised for special mission roles. The contract, valued at $81million, covered the fabrication of nine upgrade kits and installation of one. Work is due to be completed by 2025.
The V-22’s nacelles contain power components that are critical to the aircraft’s ability to transition in flight from vertical take-off/landing configuration to forward-flight mode. The modifications to the nacelle include structural changes which will reduce maintenance time and costs, as well as improvements to wiring. According to Bell Boeing, approximately 60% of V-22 maintenance hours are spent on nacelles.
“Speed, range, and versatility have always been fundamental to the Osprey, and that includes speed of maintenance,” said Kurt Fuller, V-22 Program Director and Bell VP. “The incorporated nacelle improvements help ensure the Osprey continues to outpace adversaries both operationally and sustainably.”