V-22 Ospreys Not Properly Maintained, Poor State of Readiness?

[No Joy]

Military cutbacks, and resource drain from deployments taking a toll on safety and readiness?


U.S. Marine Corps chastised for poor V-22 maintenance records
Oct 25 (Reuters) - Errors in the maintenance paperwork used to track readiness of the U.S. Marine Corps V-22 aircraft were so numerous between 2008 and 2011 they could have led officers to deploy squadrons that were unprepared for their missions, investigators reported on Friday.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/25/usa-defense-osprey-idUSL1N0IF24D20131025

 

[Velocity173]

I like the aircraft but at 70 million a piece, almost 10 grand per hour to fly (2x what was promised) and OR rates around 60 %.

 

[flyingron]

Still cheeper and carry more load than Harriers.

 

[jaybee]

MH-53 J $40 million
V-22b Osprey $69 million

MH-53 J 37 or 55 troops
V-22b Osprey 24 or 32 troops

MH-53 J 18,000 lb payload wartime
V-22b Osprey 20,000 lb payload

MH-53 J max speed 170
V-22b Osprey max speed 275

MH-53 J range 600 nm
V-22b Osprey 879 nm

so 29 million dollars to go 100 knots faster, carry less troops, go 200 nm more distance and carry 2000 more lbs...

doesn't seem worth it to me

know a lot of people on Hurlburt that absolutely hated the change...

 

[Velocity173]

Still cheeper and carry more load than Harriers.

I saw a proposal in Popular Mechanics years ago that showed a Harrier with 2 pods on the wings. Each pod had a plexiglass window and would carry a special ops dude behind enemy lines. I remember thinking that would be an awesome ride!

 

[No Joy]

MH-53 J $40 million
V-22b Osprey $69 million

MH-53 J 37 or 55 troops
V-22b Osprey 24 or 32 troops

MH-53 J 18,000 lb payload wartime
V-22b Osprey 20,000 lb payload

MH-53 J max speed 170
V-22b Osprey max speed 275

MH-53 J range 600 nm
V-22b Osprey 879 nm

so 29 million dollars to go 100 knots faster, carry less troops, go 200 nm more distance and carry 2000 more lbs...

doesn't seem worth it to me

know a lot of people on Hurlburt that absolutely hated the change...

Comparing the V-22 to a helicopter, is largely an apple and orange argument.

The V-22 fills a niche and does a few things better than other aircraft.

The V-22 has better performance at altitude than helicopters. In Afghanistan some helicopters have had trouble or have not been able to do missions that the V-22 could have.

I think the V-22 should primarily be used as a second choice, when other aircraft are not capable or available to fulfill a mission.

I feel that the V-22 is an expensive, complicated high risk aircraft that sometimes feels necessary risks. Poor maintenance is pushing their luck.

 

[bbchien]

Aw that stuff is everywhere. The P8 is LESS capable than the P3, and requires more runway. It's can't operate in long range mode out of either Ascension island or Guantanamo, ergo we just gave up the south Atlantic.

The twin engine replacement for the C130, the Avions design....don't even get me started.

Every where you look, somebody is getting paid off.

 

[Henning]

Aw that stuff is everywhere. The P8 is LESS capable than the P3, and requires more runway. It's can't operate in long range mode out of either Ascension island or Guantanamo, ergo we just gave up the south Atlantic.

The twin engine replacement for the C130, the Avions design....don't even get me started.

Every where you look, somebody is getting paid off.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7gahL5j4ack

 

[Art VanDelay]

As a former Marine Corps Aviator I'm a huge fan of the Osprey - just so long as it's not flown in a combat environment ! There are just too many angles for haji to get an RPG shot off into those engine pods that can't be covered by door gunners or seen by the front-seaters.

 

[Velocity173]

Comparing the V-22 to a helicopter, is largely an apple and orange argument.

The V-22 fills a niche and does a few things better than other aircraft.

The V-22 has better performance at altitude than helicopters. In Afghanistan some helicopters have had trouble or have not been able to do missions that the V-22 could have.

I think the V-22 should primarily be used as a second choice, when other aircraft are not capable or available to fulfill a mission.

I feel that the V-22 is an expensive, complicated high risk aircraft that sometimes feels necessary risks. Poor maintenance is pushing their luck.

Better performance at altitude is kind of a broad statement. A helicopter can't fly at 25,000 ft and 250 kts but we have plenty of C-130s in theater that can do that with more troops, faster and the same purchase and operating cost of a V-22. It's hover ceiling (OGE) of just over 5,000 ft is pathetic. I have pics of me hovering in an H-60 at 12,600 ft. You'll never see any pics of V-22s pulling troops off of a high mountain pinnacle but you'll see plenty of H-60s & H-47s doing it.

The Osprey is good for long range CSAR (Libya) and possible the COD mission. It could be a good platform for CASEVAC / MEDEVAC if it wasn't for the fact that we have helos and field hospitals all in close proximity to one another in theater.

Like I said, I like it but at what cost? The Army seems to be on board with replacing its H-60s with the Bell V-280 tilt rotor. I say great, but we're not dealing with the Marine's request of 360 V-22s. The Army has close to 1,500 H-60s. No way they'll be able to afford that many V-280s. With the budget the way it is, I don't even think the Army could afford half that many. Hopefully the lessons learned on the V-22s growing pains will allow the Army to acquire and operate the V-280 at a reasonable price.

 

[jaybee]

Comparing the V-22 to a helicopter, is largely an apple and orange argument.

The V-22 fills a niche and does a few things better than other aircraft.

The V-22 has better performance at altitude than helicopters. In Afghanistan some helicopters have had trouble or have not been able to do missions that the V-22 could have.

I think the V-22 should primarily be used as a second choice, when other aircraft are not capable or available to fulfill a mission.

I feel that the V-22 is an expensive, complicated high risk aircraft that sometimes feels necessary risks. Poor maintenance is pushing their luck.

Negative Ghost rider, comparing it to what it replaced on Hurlburt Field home of AFSOC otherwise known as Special Operations Command. ( note : 53 J aka Pave Low )

Sorry friend but I have a lot of friends I work with on Hurlburt that are spec op guys, I value their opine more than yours and as I said they were/are very unhappy.