Marine Corps Receives Modified Osprey Aircraft from Boeing-Bell JV

A joint venture between Boeing and Textron’s Bell subsidiary has handed over to the U.S. Marine Corps a customized variant of the MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft.

The Block C configuration is a part of the service branch’s efforts to update Block B Osprey variants through the Common Configuration – Readiness and Modernization program, Boeing said Tuesday.

USMC fielded the modified aircraft in 2005 as a Block B variant before sending it to Boeing’s facility in Philadelphia for the Block C update in 2018. The company noted the Block C variant will enable USMC to augment the reliability and readiness of its Osprey fleet.

“Through a shared focus on safety and quality, the Bell Boeing team is delivering modernized MV-22 aircraft that are ready to serve our dedicated servicemen and women who rely on this essential aviation resource,” said Kristin Houston, vice president of tiltrotor programs at Boeing and director of Bell-Boeing Joint Project Office’s V22 program.

Bell-Boeing received a $146M contract modification to maintain and modernize nine Osprey units for the U.S. Navy.