Report knocks Osprey
Mark Walker:
As for altitude, that has been a problem for more traditional helicopters too, including the most advance such as the Blackhawks. In the early days of the war when we were infiltrating CIA and special forces into the country it took favorable weather to execute many of the missions because of fear of flying into the Hindu Kush Mountains.
The U.S. Marine Corps' troubled V-22 Osprey aircraft has failed to live up to its billing in Iraq and continues to face a multitude of reliability issues and rising costs, a new government report concludes.Speed is the major advantage of the Osprey. In medivac situations that can be crucial. It can also be critical in troop movements too. Speed and distance will be critical factors in Afghanistan.
As a result of heavier troop equipment, the tilt-rotor aircraft that takes off and lands like a helicopter and flies like an airplane can only carry 20 troops, not 24 as was originally intended.
And the planned installation of a gun in the aircraft's belly to improve its defense could further cut the troop number to 18, the report from the Government Accountability Office finds.
The Osprey's ability to perform well in Afghanistan, where thousands of additional Marines have been assigned in recent weeks and mountains soar above 12,000 feet, is questionable because of the aircraft's problems with its de-icing system and 10,000-foot operating ceiling, the report says.
The 41-page report prepared for Congress and released Tuesday recommends Defense Secretary Robert Gates direct a study to determine whether the Marine Corps should continue the program as designed.
It also suggests the Marine Corps should consider keeping a large fleet of older-generation CH-46 and CH-53 helicopters to ensure all its missions can be fulfilled.
The Government Accountability Office findings fly in the face of consistently glowing Osprey reports from Marine commanders and aviators.
The report also comes as Camp Pendleton and Miramar Marine Corps Air Station are getting ready to place 114 Ospreys on those bases and phase out the CH-46 and CH-53, which have proven to be reliable workhorses since the Vietnam era.
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Government auditors say the cost of flying the aircraft, which is manufactured by Boeing and Bell, is now $11,000 per hour, more than double the expected price and twice the hourly cost of a CH-46. Research and development costs have ballooned from $4.2 billion to nearly $13 billion, despite the reduction in the number planned for purchase by the Marine Corps and Air Force from 1,000 to 500.
The cost for a single Osprey has skyrocketed 148 percent, from $37.7 million when the program was launched in 1985 to $93.4 million. About 250 Ospreys remain to be built.
"The issue for the Marine Corps is they can buy four conventional helicopters for the price of one Osprey," Coyle said. "I've always felt that the Osprey could be used as a truck, but it's a pretty expensive truck."
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"The performance of the Osprey in Iraq has given the ground commanders everything they've asked for, and done so faster, farther and safer than any helicopter could do," said the spokesman, Maj. Eric Dent. "But we know there is still work to be done to improve reliability and maintainability of some components to enhance readiness. We are fully engaged and partnered with industry on this."
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As for altitude, that has been a problem for more traditional helicopters too, including the most advance such as the Blackhawks. In the early days of the war when we were infiltrating CIA and special forces into the country it took favorable weather to execute many of the missions because of fear of flying into the Hindu Kush Mountains.
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