Actually the thread author should have been more specific in the first place.. The Osprey WILL be produced in a Low Rate Initial Offering. The only
thing that WAS in doubt was the Full rate, but that doubt seems to have vanished almost completley in the minds of those who will be making those
decisions.
pma275.navair.navy.mil...
The Osprey is a fixed-wing plane with rotors that tilt so the craft can take off and land like a helicopter. The attention to non-flying issues shows
the Pentagon is increasingly convinced it's solved most of the safety and reliability issues that grounded the aircraft for more than a year after
two accidents in 2000 killed a total 23 Marines, Olson said.
The Pentagon gave the program a boost last month, saying Boeing and Textron can produce 152 aircraft through 2009, seven more than budgeted.
The budget includes 11 aircraft in fiscal 2005, 17 in fiscal 2006, 26 in fiscal 2007, 39 in fiscal 2008 and 48 in fiscal 2009, according to briefing
charts released today.
Approval of full-rate production is scheduled for October 2005 assuming the aircraft successfully completes a rigorous round of realistic operational
test and evaluation next year.
That decision would trigger spending most of $39 billion to buy up to 456 aircraft in the overall $48.2 billion program. Almost $15 billion has been
spent to date. Each aircraft is estimated to cost $105 million apiece when calculated in inflation adjusted dollars.
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Former Critic: Osprey Problems Fixed
pma275.navair.navy.mil...
A Defense Department undersecretary said design revisions succeeded, and more of the aircraft likely could be produced.
WASHINGTON - The nation's top weapons buyer said yesterday that recent tests of the Marine Corps' troubled V-22 Osprey aircraft showed that design
revisions have fixed problems that led to multiple crashes that killed 30, including 23 troops in 2000.
"I'm at the point now where I believe we have demonstrated sufficient confidence in the aircraft for safety and reliability that we can continue
proceeding forward," said Edward "Pete" Aldridge, undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, who has been a longtime
critic of the rotorcraft.
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Rumsfeld Says V-22 Osprey's Prospects Look Good
pma275.navair.navy.mil...
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said yesterday that the controversial V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft was doing well in resumed flight tests and
likely would "go forward" if it stayed on course. The aircraft is built by Boeing Co. at its Delaware County plant and the Bell Helicopter unit of
Textron Inc. Overhauled and reengineered, the Osprey resumed flight trials in May 2002, 17 months after fatal crashes grounded it and almost killed
the $46 billion program because of doubts about its technology.
"Since that time, the aircraft has done quite well in its tests," Rumsfeld said in Washington. "And, to the extent [that] it continues to pass
through these various test hurdles, my guess is it would go forward because it is something that the Marines and Special Operations forces are
interested in having... . And it is currently in the budget."
Oh, their are a few more stories from the last few months i ran across that also fall along these lines which I can happily provide to educate some of
you. Just ask if you need them
[Edited on 27-10-2003 by Abrams]
