V22 Osprey
Manufacturer: Boeing [NYSE: BA]
Obviously, getting troops to the battlefield as quickly as possible is a paramount concern for military planners. Choppers can carry many troops, but really can’t fly very far or fast. Planes can get troops there quickly, but where can you launch transport planes without a runway? Aircraft carriers are too small, nevermind the deck of an amphibious assault ship. Clearly, a solution is needed for high speed troop transport in a scenario of limited runway space. Necessity is the mother of all inventions, and respectively the Americans invented the V22 Osprey to fill this vital role. Employed by the United States Marine Corp, the V22 Osprey is the only tiltrotor aircraft in production by any nation’s armed forces. Combining the essential elements of the vertical take-off of a helicopter with the speed and mid-air refueling of a convential airplane, the V22 Osprey can get lots of troops to anywhere, and fast. The top speed of the Osprey stands at around 316 mph, where the closest helicopter comparison, the CH-47 Chinook transport, only reaches 196 mph. In support of a high speed amphibious invasion, this aircraft is intended to work alongside the Marine Corp’s new LCAC’s and EFVs, which will enable the US Marines to rush up to any shoreline with overwhelming force.
Check out this cool video of the V22 Osprey in action!
5 Responses
Popular Mechanics released a magazine about the V-22’s downfalls. The fact that it’s a hybrid fix/rotary wing aircraft, it can’t do any one job particularly well. One thing that I remember is that when the V-22 dives while its rotars are pointed up like a helicopter, it falls much farther and faster than say, a blackhawk and the weight of it is iffy. I can see its job as a transport, but when trying to infiltrate or exfil a hot zone, eek.
I belive they cost around $30M also.
Posted on August 26th, 2009 at 7:12 am
V-22 ALL DAI EVERY DAY!!!!!!!
Posted on October 29th, 2009 at 5:41 pm
This is an amazing machine. However, it does not mention how many troops it can carry? or combination of troops and equipement. This would be good to know.
Posted on June 11th, 2010 at 3:44 pm
“The Widowmaker”
Posted on August 14th, 2010 at 4:23 pm
Hit hard, and hit fast. V-22 Osprey.
Posted on August 17th, 2010 at 5:24 am
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