Boeing gets next V-22 production option

March 29, 2008 by Dagpotter · 1 Comment
Filed under: Boeing, Contract Awards, Military Aviation, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, production program 

The US Air Force and Navy gave Boeing and its team a contract for another 167 V-22 aircraft. See the story here. The contract is worth over $10 B and will also provide necessary support services. The V-22 is deployed to Iraq and conducting heavy lift cargo and personnel transport missions.

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FY09 Defense Budget Good to Sikorsky

February 6, 2008 by Dagpotter · Comment
Filed under: Federal Budget Process, Sikorsky, development program, production program 

This analysis from The Connecticut Post Online shows that Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation is doing well. The budget will buy over 100 helicopters and provide money to modernize others. This is not surprising as Sikorsky makes the UH-60 and CH-53, both of which just underwent a block upgrade. The UH-60M and CH-53K are also individually more expensive then previous models. The US Military needs new and improved helicopters. The Army is flying the crap out of the UH-60 in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Marines are using the V-22 to supplement the 53 in its various roles, but in many parts of the war helicopters are it.

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Marines pleased with performance of V-22 in Iraq

January 25, 2008 by Dagpotter · Comment
Filed under: Bell, Boeing, production program 

This article at Rotorhub.com highlights the performance of the V-22 Osprey in Western Iraq. Of note they replaced a CH-53 squadron and are maintaining an availability of 68%. This seems low compared to the Army helicopter systems I am familiar with, but maybe it is good compared to the 53. The squadron has flown 2000 hours or so since deployed in October.

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3 companies submit new proposals for US Air Force CSAR-X

January 9, 2008 by Dagpotter · Comment
Filed under: Boeing, GAO, Lockheed Martin, Sikorsky, U.S. Air Force, development program 

Boeing, Lockheed, and Sikorsky all submitted new proposals for the CSAR-X. See an article here. The contract had originally been awarded to Boeing for a varient of the CH-47, but the GAO upheld a protest by Lockheed and Sikorsky and required new proposals be allowed. More coverage of the CSAR-X fiasco here. The new aircraft will replace the current fleet of Black Hawk aircraft used to conduct search and rescue operations. The Air Force has also invested in a small number of V-22 aircraft that can carry out the same mission, but is primarily to be used for Special Operations missions.

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English website reports on V-22 in Iraq

January 8, 2008 by Dagpotter · Comment
Filed under: Boeing, U.S. Marine Corps, production program 

An English website, The Register, reports on the USMC experience with the V-22 in Iraq. See the article here. The Marines are being close mouthed in general, but the reports seem to indicate it is performing well in the missions it is being used for. It helps that the situation in Anbar is much less violent then it was last year.

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