Bell and Boeing deliver first V-22 for U.S. Navy

AMARILLO, Texas - Boeing and Bell Textron Inc., delivered the first CMV-22B Osprey, which is the V-22 variant the U.S. Navy will use for transporting personnel and cargo to aircraft carriers at sea.

“The CMV-22B brings expanded capabilities not only to the carrier onboard delivery mission, but to the high-end fight,” said U.S. Navy Captain Dewon Chaney, Commodore, Fleet Logistics Multi-Mission Wing. “We are anxious to get it to the fleet and show off its immense capabilities and agile flexibility.”

The Navy selected the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey to replace the C-2A Greyhound fleet. Bell Boeing will deliver 48 of the tiltrotor aircraft.

The CMV-22B, which first flew in December, carries up to 6,000 pounds for more than 1,150 nautical miles. It’s the only aircraft that can transport major components of the F-35C engine directly to a carrier flight deck, a critical capability for Navy logistics and support.

Navy aircrews and maintainers trained with the U.S. Marine Corps, which has employed the V-22 since 2007, to accelerate the transition. The CMV-22B will be based at Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego and Naval Air Station Norfolk.