Bell Boeing MV-22B Osprey
The Marine Corps assault transport — the tiltrotor that replaced the CH-46 · First flight 1989 · In service 2007
The MV-22B is the US Marine Corps version of the Osprey and the variant around which the whole programme was built — the Marine Corps was the lead service in the V-22's development. The first of six prototypes flew in helicopter mode on 19 March 1989; the first low-rate production aircraft was delivered on 27 May 1999, and crew training with VMMT-204 began in March 2000. After two fatal crashes in 2000 the fleet was grounded and parts were redesigned, and the type reached initial operational capability in 2007.
It is an assault transport for troops, equipment and supplies, flying from amphibious ships or expeditionary airfields, and it replaced the Marines' CH-46E Sea Knight and CH-53D Sea Stallion fleets. The cabin takes 24 seated troops, up to 9.1 t of internal cargo or a Growler light vehicle; defensive armament is a ramp-mounted machine gun, with an optional retractable GAU-17 minigun under the belly. Marine Helicopter Squadron One (HMX-1) also flies MV-22Bs.
Japan became the first export customer: the Ministry of Defense decided in 2014 to buy 17 aircraft, the first Japanese V-22 flew in August 2017 and the first two were delivered to the Ground Self-Defense Force at Kisarazu on 8 May 2020. By December 2023, 14 had been delivered to the JGSDF's Transport Aviation Group, with three more on order.
