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All things MV-22 Osprey
- Thread starter Dave Shutter
- Start date
Marines deployed first and to a combat zone while AFSOC did a mini Det to Africa for an exercise. Why should either service get bad press?
Four CV-22 Ospreys sit on the flightline at St. Johns, Nova Scotia, Oct. 19, 2008. The CV-22s, from the 8th Special Operations Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Fla., flew through St. Johns as part of a 5,300 nautical mile trip to Mali, Africa in support of Exercise Flintlock. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Christian Helms)
An Air Force Special Operations Command CV-22 Osprey lands as Malian troops secure the airfield during an exercise in Africa. Exercise Flintlock '08 marked the first deployment for the tiltrotor aircraft. The exercise provides U.S. Special Operations Command forces the opportunity to work with African and European partner nations in the effort to build bonds of trust and confidence. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Bryan Purtell)
Umm...we already have that. It still doesn't reduce the heat enough for the older decks.
Ahh, well roger that. Was that one of the Bravo mod's or has it always been on there?
The Marine Corps has been the first all along, both in fielding and deploying.
As far as why all the bad press is directed at the Corps, well the Marine Corps is the lead service on the program. Also, the USAF hasn't wrecked any of theirs.
As far as I know, the exhaust deflector has always been a part of the aircraft.
After a spate of mishaps before Initial Operating Capability (IOC) was achieved, the program was getting bad press right and left. The program stopped flying after last mishap and conducted earnest effort to address its issues as part of the Return-to-Fly (RTF) effort. There hasn't been a mishap since and aircraft has deployed successfully. I would hardly characterize any press since thne as "Bad press". Relatively speaking, it's hardly a murmur compared to what it went through prior to RTF and successful resumption of flight test.
I hear you, it just seems like many times when I read about what our Ospreys are doing and how they are performing above and beyond the article always closes out with something to the effect of "...is a controversial program in which over 30 Marines have been killed in throughout it's history." Heh, I've been hanging around the 'burt and see the AFSOC guys flying them around lately and thought to myself," You know, I haven't heard really anything bad about the AF flying Ospreys, yet I still talk to fellow Marines who say that the Osprey is a death trap they don't want to step foot in..." I guess maybe some of that is just ignorance in the face of change.
Well, no fatal mishaps anyways.
I should have clarified them as Class A/fatal mishaps. Ospreys were grounded for 17 months and then returned to flight in May 2002. And despite all the dire predictions of the detractors, it has had a relatively smooth transition into fleet service. Because of the early trials and tribulations, the press likes to faithfully remind everyone of the controversy that surrounded the program. Program wise, it was controversial from the start as OSD would kill it yearly and Congress would provide funds anyway. Believe me, the press you're reading is just history. The media likes to keep flames fanned to "sell more papers" (and get more click ad revenue). Plenty of aircraft have been introduced with far worse mishap records. I'll go for a ride anytime.
Touche
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. -- A CV-22 Osprey from the 8th Special Operations Squadron takes off after dropping a Deployed Aircraft Ground Response Element for simulated tactical evidence collection during the Emerald Warrior Exercise here, Feb. 3. The Osprey has a pay load of up to 24 Airmen making it ideal for infiltration of DAGRE teams. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Senior Airman Julianne Showalter)
A CV-22 Osprey from the 8th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla., is refueled by an MC-130P Combat Shadow from the 67th Special Operations Squadron, during a training mission over Mali, Africa, Nov. 17, 2008. The aircraft were in Mali supporting Exercise Flintlock, which also served as the Osprey's first operational deployment. (Photo by Sgt. Nicholas Hernandez)
