V-22 Osprey Tilt-Rotor Aircraft: Background and Issues for Congress
Abstract
The V-22 Osprey is a tilt-rotor aircraft that takes off and lands vertically like a helicopter and flies forward like an airplane. Department of Defense (DoD) plans call for procuring a total of 458 V-22s: 360 MV-22s for the Marine Corps; 50 CV-22 special operations variants for U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) (funded jointly by the Air Force and USSOCOM); and 48 HV-22s for the Navy. Through FY2009, a total of 181 V-22s have been procured -- 155 MV-22s for the Marine Corps, and 26 CV-22s for USSOCOM. These totals include several V-22s that have been procured in recent years through supplemental appropriations bills. V-22s are currently being procured under a $10.4 billion, multiyear procurement (MYP) arrangement covering the period FY2008-FY2012. The MYP contract, which was awarded on March 28, 2008, covers the procurement of 167 aircraft -- 141 MV-22s and 26 CV-22s. The proposed FY2010 budget requested funding for the procurement of 30 MV-22s and 5 CV-22s. The budget requested about $2.3 billion in procurement and advance procurement funding for procurement of MV-22s, and about $565 million in procurement and advance procurement funding for procurement of CV-22s. For FY2010, the V-22 program poses a number of potential oversight issues for Congress, including the aircraft's reliability and maintainability. A June 23, 2009, hearing before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee reviewed a number of issues concerning the V-22 program, including the aircraft's reliability and maintainability.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 22, 2009
- Accession Number
- ADA512990
Entities
People
- Jeremiah Gertler
Organizations
- Library of Congress