NEW YORK–The Navy has certified the V-22 Osprey for operations on large deck aircraft carriers, the manufacturers of the tiltrotor aircraft said yesterday.
The certification was completed with a latest round of testing aboard the USS George H.W. Bush
(CVN-77) earlier this month and it could be a step forward for the Navy’s version of the V-22 program that has not yet been funded for production, John Rader, the Bell Helicopter Textron [TXT]-Boeing [BA] partnership’s vice president for the V-22 program, told reporters.
The Navy’s program of record calls for buying 48 V-22s, and the service is examining options for replacing its C-2 Greyhound cargo planes capable of landing on carriers. Marine Col. Greg Masiello, the V-22 program manager, said in April the that the Navy was nearing completion on an analysis of alternatives (AoA) for the C-2 successor.
Rader met with reporters during the Navy’s Fleet Week, which included showcasing the V-22.
The Marine Corps is the biggest customer of the V-22, which so far has largely operated off amphibious warships. The Marine Corps plans to buy a total of 360 of its version known as the MV-22.
The House of Representatives last week signed off the Pentagon request to purchase 91 MV-22s and seven Air Force variants, the CV-22s, under a second multi-year contract. The Pentagon had lowered the planned 120 under the five-year buy because of budget constraints. Rader said negotiations on the contract with the Pentagon were ongoing.
Rader also said he was hopeful that the Navy will begin funding procurement in the next several years.