Bell-Boeing team receives $267M modification for MV-22 support

WASHINGTON, Nov. 23 (UPI) -- The Bell-Boeing Joint Project Office has received a $267.2 million contract modification from the U.S. Navy for additional logistics support for MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft.

The contract covers logistics work for both the U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 and the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command CV-22 variant. The work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas; Ridley Park, Penn.; and other locations, and is expected to be complete by November 2018.

The V-22 Osprey, a collaboration of Boeing and Bell Helicopter, is a multirole combat aircraft with both rotary- and fixed-wing capabilities. When rotors are adjusted to a vertical position, the aircraft can take off and land like a helicopter. Once in the air, the V-22 can convert its rotors to a turboprop position, and reach speeds normally associated with airplanes.

To support combat missions, the aircraft can be armed with either a M240 machine gun or a .50 caliber M2 machine gun in addition to a variety of missiles.

The U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Air Force, and Japan Self-Defense Force are the primary operators.