By Kris Osborn, President, Center for Military Modernization
Air Force Special Operations are carefully and intensely surging forward with an investigation regarding reasons for the fatal Osprey crash, following initial determinations that the accident was not caused by pilot error but possibly an internal mechanical malfunction or problem with the aircraft.
The Pentagon’s decision to “ground” all Ospreys while an investigation unfolds appears to be an intelligent, conservative decision in what Deputy Pentagon Secretary Sabrina Singh called “an abundance of caution.”
“The secretary fully supports the services and their [decision], out of an abundance of caution, to stand these aircraft down,” she said, according to a Pentagon essay.
The key focus may center around making the determination as to whether there was a specific malfunction with that particular aircraft or if the incident reveals or points to some kind of “fleet wide” or systemic problem.
In the meantime, many eyes are focused upon the Osprey itself, analyzing its complicated beginnings, combat performance and tactical advantages. As many explore the realm of potential problems with the aircraft, the overall history of the aircraft’s performance could be overlooked.
As an air platform, the Osprey has been an extraordinary platform in high-demand for decades by Navy and Marine Corps Combatant Commanders. As a ground-breaking tiltrotor, the aircraft can of course maneuver and hover with the ability of a rotary aircraft and take-off-and-land vertically, the rotors can drop into a horizontal positioning and surge into “airplane mode” hitting speeds up to 280mph. This airplane speeds more than double the speed of cutting edge UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters.
More than five years ago, the US Marine Corps 2018 Aviation plan outlined a special plan to ensure sustainability, modernization and continued service life for the Osprey to ensure the aircraft flies into 2060. This is because maritime commanders have for years praised the Osprey for its performance and consistently asked for more of the aircraft, a need so strong it prompted the Marine Corps to launch a new Osprey sustainment and modernization effort
“The quality of maintenance training curricula, maturation, and standardization has not kept pace with readiness requirements. Current maintenance manning levels are unable to support demands for labor The current V-22 sustainment system cannot realize improved and sustained aircraft readiness / availability without significant change,” the Corps writes in its published 2018 Marine Aviation Plan. “Depot-level maintenance cannot keep up with demand.”
The program was called the Common Configuration, Readiness and Modernization (CC-RAM) Plan which, according to Corps officials at the time, was “designed to achieve a common configuration and improve readiness to a minimum of 75-percent mission capable rate across the fleet.”
Osprey Aircraft in Demand
It would make sense that the Corps would choose to further extend the aircraft with continued modernization and sustainment, given the unique attributes offered by the Osprey. Not only can the Osprey both hover like a helicopter and fly like an airplane, but the aircraft has a combat radius of 450 nautical miles and can transport Marines, weapons and senior leaders into critical positions. Years ago on board the US Navy’s USS America amphibious assault ship, an Osprey pilot explained that the aircraft can perform what’s called Mounted Vertical Maneuver, wherein it can bring forces over terrain behind enemy lines to conduct clandestine surveillance or attack missions, deliver weapons and supplies to forward units or even transport vehicle platforms such as the Internally Transported Vehicle (ITV), mortar systems and artillery.
Other elements of Osprey modernization include improved sensors, mapping and digital connectivity, greater speed and hover ability, better cargo and payload capacity, next-generation avionics and new survivability systems to defend against incoming missiles and small arms fire.
As part of this long-term Osprey modernization trajectory, the Corps has in recent years been integrating a Command and Control system called Digital Interoperability (DI). This uses data links, radio connectivity and an Iridium Antenna to provide combat-relevant intelligence data and C4ISR information in real-time to Marines – while in-flight on a mission.
The Osprey has also been developed as a tanker aircraft able to perform aerial refueling missions; the idea is to transport fuel and use a probe technology to deliver fuel to key aircraft such as an F/A-18 or F-35C. The V-22 Aerial Refueling System will also be able to refuel other aircraft such as the CH-53E/K, AV-8B Harrier jet and other V-22s, Corps officials said.
The VARS-equipped V-22 can travel with 10,000 pounds of fuel and support all Marine Corps Air Ground Task Force platforms.
Navy Osprey
In a related development, the Navy has built its own CVM-22B Osprey variant to emerge in coming years. The project has gained considerable traction ever since the service decided to replace the C-2 for the important Carrier Onboard Delivery (COD) mission with the Osprey.
The Navy Osprey is designed to enable 1,150 miles of flight to the ship with extended fuel tanks. Alongside a needed range increase, the new aircraft will also include a new radio for over-the-horizon communications and a built-in public address system, service officials said.
The Navy Osprey variant will take on a wider set of missions than those performed by a C-2. Helicopter or tilt-rotor carrier landings do not require the same amount of preparation as that needed for a C-2 landing; there is no need for a catapult and a tilt-rotor naturally has a much wider envelope with which to maneuver.
Kris Osborn is President of Warrior Maven – Center for Military Modernization. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a Highly Qualified Expert with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a Masters Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University.
