Air Force wants to increase production of the bird ASAP
By Tiffany Davila
Thursday, July 03, 2008 at 4:18 p.m.
Read more: Local, State
AMARILLO -- Popular Science once dubbed the V-22 Osprey as a "two in one" marvel.
And that versatility is one of the reasons why the Air Force Special Operations command needs more birds and fast.
Another reason?
The Special Ops Command will soon retire their aging fleet of M-H 53 Pave Low helicopters, so they need to get another tilt rotor back in the skies quickly.
Currently the Air Force gets 5 CV-22's a year from Bell-Boeing.
But, they've requested 8 per year starting in 2010 to help fulfill their missions at home and abroad in a more timely manner.
A spokesperson for the Special Op's Command said because the Osprey can fly like a helicopter and plane, it's crucial for their missions at night.
"It's not a formal part of our mission right now and that's simply because of the numbers. We've got 4 right now and they are flying all the time, but we need more for it to become a part of our mission and that's what we are trying to accomplish right now." Said Matt Durham, the AFSOC's Deputy Director of Public Affairs.
The Air Force's funding for this request must still be authorized, but if approved, 50 aircraft will be delivered before their original timeline of 2017.
Bell Helicopter officials would not comment yet, saying it's too early to tell how the increased production will affect their job force and the local economy.
