Bell-Boeing contract to deliver two MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor V/STOL aircraft for U.S. Marine Corps.

Bell-Boeing Joint Project Office, Amarillo, Texas, is awarded a $165,275,894 modification (P00028) to a previously awarded fixed-price-incentive-firm-target, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00019-17-C-0015) for the manufacture and delivery of two MV-22B variation in quantity aircraft for the Marine Corps and to provide funding for additional repairs in support of the Common Configuration-Readiness and Modernization Program.

The MV-22 Osprey’s mission for the U.S. Marine Corps is the transportation of troops, equipment, and supplies from ships and land bases for combat assault and assault support. (Picture source U.S. DoD)

Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (30%); Ridley Park, Pennsylvania (15%); Amarillo, Texas (13%); Red Oak, Texas (3%); East Aurora, New York (3%); Park City, Utah (2%); McKinney, Texas (1%); Endicott, New York (1%); various other locations within the continental U.S. (CONUS) (28%); and various other locations outside CONUS (4%); expected completion by September 2023.

The MV-22B Osprey is a tiltrotor V/STOL aircraft designed as the medium-lift replacement for the CH-46E Sea Knight assault support helicopter. The Osprey can operate as a helicopter or a turboprop aircraft and offers twice the speed, six times the range, and three times the payload of the CH-46E.

Initial Operational Capability (IOC) for the MV-22B was declared in June 2007. The Osprey had three successful combat deployments in Iraq from October 2007 to April 2009 with VMM-263, VMM-162 and VMM-266 respectively. VMM-263 embarked on the first MV-22 shipboard deployment with the Bataan Ready Group in May 2009 as part of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU).

On Mar. 28, 2008, NAVAIR awarded a five-year, $10.3 billion dollar contract to Bell- Boeing for 141 MV-22 Ospreys for the Marine Corps and 26 CV-22 Ospreys for the Air Force Special Operations Command. It is the first multi-year procurement contract for the Osprey program, covering purchases in FY08-12. The deal saves the taxpayers $427 million and reduces risk to the government by establishing cost ceilings.

On June 12, 2013 the Navy signed a second multiyear procurement (MYPII) contract with Bell Boeing for production of the V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft. This multiyear contract procures 100 V-22s during FY13-FY17 with 93 MV-22s going to the Marine Corps and seven CV-22s to the Air Force. The total contract value is nearly $6.4 billion and is expected to save approximately $1 billion during its period of performance.