Multi-Year Contract Gives V-22 Solid Footing

The V-22 Osprey appears to be on the most solid footing in its 26-year history. The U.S. Naval Air Systems Command on March 28 gave Bell Helicopter and Boeing Rotorcraft Systems a $10.4 billion contract to build another 167 of the tilt-rotor troop transports over five years. The Bell-Boeing team recently delivered the 100th of 458 Ospreys planned. NavAir expects the five-year deal to save $427 million compared to buying Ospreys on short-term contracts. Under it, the companies are to build 141 MV-22s for the U.S. Marine Corps and 26 CV-22s for the Air Force Special Operations Command at a “flyaway” price of about $60 million per MV-22 and $73 million per CV-22. That's down from a previous $69 million for the MV version and $86 million for the CV, according to NavAir. The new contract would increase V-22 production from 18 a year to 38 by 2013. For related news