Production
Boeing performs about 50% of Osprey production work, building the fuselage at Ridley Park, PA. This is done from the floor beams up in three sections: forward fuselage (avionics cabinets, cockpit and nose), mid-fuselage (cabin and sponsoons) and aft fuselage (ramp sill to tail). These three sections are then spliced together and flown to Amarillo, TX by C-5 or C-17.
The wings, proprotors and associated components come from Bell Helicopter Textron's plants in Dallas/Fort Worth. The engines are government-furnished equipment. Final assembly is done at Bell's Amarillo, TX plant.
The $1.454 billion contract for the first three Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP) lots was signed in June 1996. The release of $42 million for long-lead items for Lot 1 was approved on pretty limited data. When Lot 1 was approved in April 1997 ($402 million), the criteria required that aircraft 7 be ferried to Pax River, that the aircraft met the empty weight target and flew to 220 knots. Lot 2 approval required the delivery of the next two EMD aircraft to Pax River and the completion of a specified portion of the static load tests.
Construction of the next nineteen MV-22s (Lots 3 and 4) was approved in January 2000.
It had been intended that the decision to proceed to Full Rate Production (FRP) would have been made in December 2000, but since the Osprey had been grounded by then following the fatal accident on December 11th 2000, all FRP plans were put on hold and the aircraft continued in low-rate production in order to keep the line open. Contracts valued at $1.5 billion for 9 MV-22s in FY01, and nine MV-22s and 2 CV-22s in FY02, were let as modifications to existing contracts.
As an annual production rate of eleven aircraft was considered the lowest practical amount, another LRIP contract for 11 Lot 7 machines was let in early 2002 at a cost of $770 million.
On May 15th 2003 Bell-Boeing was awarded an $817 million contract for long-lead items associated with the manufacture and delivery of 11 fiscal year 2004 Lot 8 low rate initial production V-22 aircraft (nine MV-22s and two CV-22s).
On August 13th 2003 Bell-Boeing was awarded a $61 million contract to convert an existing LRIP MV-22 into a CV-22 test aircraft, in order to provide additional flight test capability. The conversion is expected to be complete by November 2004.
On September 23rd 2003 the Pentagon announced that Bell-Boeing had been awarded a $208 million modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the restructure of the CV-22 Block D 0 and 10 Development Program and extension of the CV-22 Flight Test Program.
The recommended V-22 production rate is 11 aircraft in fiscal 2005, 17 in fiscal 2006, 26 in fiscal 2007, 39 in fiscal 2008 and 48 in fiscal 2009. Approval of full-rate production is scheduled for October 2005 assuming the aircraft successfully completes a rigorous round of realistic operational test and evaluation in 2004.
On February 23rd 2004 the Pentagon announced that Bell-Boeing had been awarded an $849 million contract for long lead materials needed to manufacture eight Lot 9 MV-22 and three CV-22 low rate initial production aircraft.
On December 15th 2004 Bell announced that it was moving its V-22 Program Office from Fort Worth to Amarillo, Texas, in order to prepare for full-rate Osprey production.
On January 19th 2005 Bell-Boeing was awarded a $31.9 million modification to an existing contract for the incorporation of Engineering Change Proposal V-22-0491 on two LRIP Lot IV aircraft to bring them to Block A/B configuration. The contract modification also includes the installation of nacelle clamshell doors into MV-22 D0038 (ECP V-22-0492). This is presumably aircraft 165852.
On January 24th 2005 Bell-Boeing was awarded a contract worth $850 million for the production of long-lead items for eleven FY2006 Lot 10 LRIP V-22 aircraft (nine MV-22s and two CV-22s).
The first production CV-22, 02-0024, was handed over to the customer on September 19th 2005.
The go-head for full-rate production of the Osprey was given by the Defense Acquisition Board on September 29th 2005. This will increase the rate from 11 aircraft per year at present to a maximum of 48 per year.
The first production Block B MV-22B, 166491, was handed over to the Marine Corps on December 8th 2005. This aircraft was the 19th Osprey delivered in 2005.
On December 28th 2005 the US DoD announced that Bell-Boing JPO had been awarded a $1.058 bn contract for long-lead components for the manufacture of 11 FY07 MV-22s and 2 CV-22s.
On August 3rd 2006 the DoD announced that the Bell-Boeing Joint Program Office had been awarded a $200m contract to begin construction of three additional MV-22s. Delivery appears to be due by December 2009.
The Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey team met its 2006 commitment of delivering 13 MV-22 Ospreys to the U.S. Marine Corps and three CV-22s to the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command. During 2006, the V-22 fleet surpassed 23,000 total flight hours, including 16,000 squadron flight hours.
The DoD has apparently given its approval to Air Force and Navy plans for the production of 35 V-22s per year through 2013. The Navy plans to buy 21 MV-22 Ospreys in fiscal 2008 and 30 a year from 2009 through 2013. The Air Force plans to buy five CV-22 versions in fiscal 2008, six in 2009 and five each successive year through 2013. The total of 26 in fiscal 2008, growing to about 35 annually through 2013, is up from 16 requested in the 2007 fiscal year.
On April 2nd 2007 the US DoD awarded the Bell-Boeing Joint Program Office a $1.8bn advance acquisition contract for the FY 2008 procurement of long-lead components associated with the manufacture and delivery of 21 Lot 12 MV-22 and five Lot 12 CV-22 tiltrotor aircraft. Work for the MV-22 is expected to be completed in October 2010, and work for the CV-22 is expected to be completed in September 2010.
On September 28th 2007 Rolls-Royce signed a $700 million production contract with the Naval Air Systems Command to produce 370 AE 1107C-Liberty engines for the US Marine Corps’ MV-22 and the US Air Force’s CV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft. The production agreement includes engines for 148 aircraft plus 74 spares, for deliveries going forward to 2013.
On March 28th 2008 the Bell-Boeing Program Office announced that the US Department of Defense had awarded a $10.4 billion, five year Multi-Year Procurement (MYP) contract to deliver 167 V-22 Osprey aircraft. The five-year contract includes 26 CV-22s for the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) and 141 MV-22s for the US Marine Corps. The contract includes an option for additional aircraft. Production will reach 30 aircraft in fiscal 2009 and would stay at that level through 2012.
On March 13th 2008 Bell-Boeing delivered the 100th V-22 Osprey. This was the 92nd MV-22 delivered to the US Marines.
On September 8th 2008 the DoD added five CV-22s (making a total of 31) to the five-year MYP contract, increasing its value by $359 million. Work on the new aircraft will be completed by October 2014.
On December 9th 2008 the US DoD announced that Bell-Boeing had been awarded a $55 million contract to convert nine MV-22s from Block A to Block B configuration. The work is expected to be completed in May 2009.
| Serial | Con # | Type | Operator | Code/Notes | Img |
| Full-Scale Development Aircraft | |||||
| 163911 | 90001 | V-22 FSD | First flight 19 Mar 1989. Preserved at MCAS New River, NC |  |
|
| 163912 | 90002 | V-22 FSD | First flight 09 Aug 1989. Retired from flight test and used for live fire testing. | |
|
| 163913 | 90003 | V-22 FSD | First flight 06 May 1990. Preserved at the American Helicopter Museum, West Chester, PA | ||
| 163914 | 90004 | V-22 FSD | First flight 21 Dec 1989. Crashed near MCAS Quantico, VA, 20 Jul 1992 | |
|
| 163915 | 90005 | V-22 FSD | Crashed on first flight 11 Jun 1991 | ||
| 163916 | 90006 | V-22 FSD | Not completed. Used for live fire testing | ||
| Engineering Manufacturing & Development Aircraft | |||||
| 164939 | 90007 | CV-22 | 412th FLTW | First flight 05 Feb 1997. Arr Pax River 15 May 1997. To CV-22 for USAF. EMD flight test | |
| 164940 | 90008 | MV-22 | HX-21 | First flight 23 Aug 1997. EMD flight test. | |
| 164941 | 90009 | CV-22 | 412th FLTW | First flight 17 Jul 1997. To CV-22 for USAF. EMD flight test. | |
| 164942 | 90010 | MV-22 | - | First flight 16 Jan 1998. Arr Pax River January 29th 1998. EMD flight test. Grounded mid-2000 as maintenance trainer. | |
| LRIP Lot 1 Aircraft (FY1997) | |||||
| 165433 | D0011 | MV-22B | - | First flight 30 Apr 1999. Del 14 May 1999. Arr Pax River 27 May 1999. Landed heavily 08 Apr 2000 at Marana Northwest Regional Airport, AZ. Struck off charge 16 Jul 2001. | |
| 165434 | D0012 | MV-22B | VMMT-204 | Del 01 Nov 1999 | |
| 165435 | D0013 | MV-22B | HMX-1 [MX-03] | Del 13 Nov 1999. First aircraft assembled in Amarillo, TX. | |
| 165436 | D0014 | MV-22B | - | Del 17 Jan 2000. Crashed 08 Apr 2000 at Marana Northwest Regional Airport, AZ. | |
| 165437 | D0015 | MV-22B | VMMT-204 [T1-GX] | Del 12 Mar 2000. GIA at New River. | |
| LRIP Lot 2 Aircraft (FY1998) | |||||
| 165438 | D0016 | MV-22B | VMMT-204 [T2-GX] | Del 30 Jul 2000. GIA at New River. | |
| 165439 | D0017 | MV-22B | - | Del 07 Jul 2000. Struck off charge 13 Sep 2004. | |
| 165440 | D0018 | MV-22B | - | Del 21 Aug 2000. Crashed 11 Dec 2000, near MCAS New River, NC. | |
| 165441 | D0019 | MV-22B | - | Del 15 Oct 2000 | |
| 165442 | D0020 | MV-22B | - | Del 06 Nov 2000 | |
| 165443 | D0021 | MV-22B | HX-21 | Del 11 Oct 2002 | |
| 165444 | D0022 | MV-22B | HX-21 | Del 16 Jan 2003 | |
| LRIP Lot 3 Aircraft (FY1999) | |||||
| 99-0021 | D0025 | CV-22A | 412 TW/413 FLTS | Arr Philadelphia 06 Oct 2003 for conversion to CV-22. Delivered to Edwards AFB 26 Feb 2005. | |
| 165837 | D0023 | MV-22B | HX-21 | Del 09 Jul 2003 | |
| 165838 | D0024 | MV-22B | HX-21 | Del 01 Apr 2003. Carried out icing trials in Canada Nov 2003 - Apr 2004. Lost a substantial part of one of its prop-rotor blades 26 Nov 2004 during test flight in Nova Scotia, Canada but made a safe landing. | |
| 165840 | D0026 | MV-22B | VMM-266 [ES-05] | ||
| 165841 | D0027 | MV-22B | VMM-365 [YM-00] | ||
| 165842 | D0028 | MV-22B | VMM-162 [YS-10] | ||
| 165843 | D0029 | MV-22B | VMM-162 [YS-01] | |
|
| 165844 | D0030 | MV-22B | VMM-261 [EM-11] | ||
| 165845 | D0031 | MV-22B | VMX-22 [MV-02] | ||
| 165846 | D0032 | MV-22B | VMM-162 [YS-06] | ||
| 165847 | D0033 | MV-22B | VMM-162 [YS-04] | ||
| LRIP Lot 4 Aircraft (FY2000) | |||||
| 165848 | D0034 | MV-22B | HX-21 | First Block A aircraft. First flight 17 Jul 2003. Del to V-22 ITT at Pax River on 20 Aug 2003 | |
| 165849 | D0035 | MV-22B | VMM-365 [YM-10] | |
|
| 165850 | D0036 | MV-22B | VMM-263 [EG-10] | |
|
| 165851 | D0037 | MV-22B | VMM-266 [ES-11] | ||
| 165852 | D0038 | MV-22B | VMM-266 [ES-00] | |
|
| 165853 | D0039 | MV-22B | VMM-266 [ES-01] | |
|
| LRIP Lot 5 Aircraft (FY2001) | |||||
| 02-0024 | D1005 | CV-22B | 71st SOS/58 SOW | Delivered to Edwards AFB 19 Sep 2005. | |
| 165940 | D0041 | MV-22B | VMMT-204 [GX-22] | Del late 2003 | |
| 165941 | D0042 | MV-22B | VMM-365 [YM-12] | Del Nov 2003. First Block A aircraft delivered to the Marines | |
| 165942 | D0043 | MV-22B | VMMT-204 [GX-02] | |
|
| 165943 | D0044 | MV-22B | VMMT-204 [GX-03] | ||
| 165944 | D0045 | MV-22B | VMM-365 [YM-13] | ||
| 165945 | D0046 | MV-22B | VMMT-204 [GX-06] | ||
| 165946 | D0047 | MV-22B | VMM-162 [YS-15] | ||
| 165947 | D0048 | MV-22B | VMMT-204 [GX-10] | Del to VMX-22 in Feb 2005 | |
| 165948 | D0049 | MV-22B | VMMT-204 [GX-11] | Engine caught fire 06 Nov 2007. Class A damage sustained. | |
| 165956 | D0040 | MV-22B | VMM-263 [EG-02] | Note out-of-sequence c/n | |
| LRIP Lot 6 Aircraft (FY2002) | |||||
| 02-0025 | D1006 | CV-22B | 71 SOS/58 SOW | On delivery flight 18 Oct 2005 when it made a precautionary landing in Arizona. Del to Edwards AFB 27 Oct 2005. Del to 8th SOS at Hurlburt Field 16 Nov 2006. | |
| 166383 | D0050 | MV-22B | VMMT-204 [GX-12] | |
|
| 166384 | D0051 | MV-22B | VMX-22 [MV-24] | |
|
| 166385 | D0052 | MV-22B | VMMT-204 [GX-13] | |
|
| 166386 | D0053 | MV-22B | VMMT-204 [GX-14] | |
|
| 166387 | D0054 | MV-22B | VMMT-204 [GX-28] | |
|
| 166388 | D0055 | MV-22B | VMM-162 [YS-14] | ||
| 166389 | D0056 | MV-22B | VMMT-204 [GX-16] | Del to VMX-22 04 Feb 2005 | |
| 166390 | D0057 | MV-22B | VMM-162 [YS-21] | |
|
| 166391 | D0058 | MV-22B | VMX-22 [MV-22] | At RIAT & Farnborough July 2006. | |
| LRIP Lot 7 Aircraft (FY2004) | |||||
| 166480 | D0059 | MV-22B | VMX-22 [MV-23] | At RIAT & Farnborough July 2006. | |
| 166481 | D0060 | MV-22B | VMM-162 [YS-13] | |
|
| 166482 | D0061 | MV-22B | VMMT-204 [GX-17] | ||
| 166483 | D0062 | MV-22B | VMMT-204 [GX-20] | ||
| 166484 | D0063 | MV-22B | VMMT-204 [GX-21] | ||
| 166485 | D0064 | MV-22B | VMMT-204 [GX-00] | ||
| 166486 | D0065 | MV-22B | VMMT-204 [GX-23] | ||
| 166487 | D0066 | MV-22B | VMMT-204 [GX-24] | ||
| 166488 | D0067 | MV-22B | VMMT-204 [GX-25] | ||
| 166489 | D0068 | MV-22B | VMMT-204 [GX-26] | ||
| 166490 | D0069 | MV-22B | VMMT-204 [GX-27] | ||
| LRIP Lot 8 Aircraft (FY2005) | |||||
| 04-0026 | D1007 | CV-22B | 71st SOS/58th SOW | The first Block 10 aircraft. Delivered 01 Mar 2006 | |
| 166491 | D0070 | MV-22B | HX-21 | First Block B model. Handed over to USMC 08 Dec 2005. | |
| 166492 | D0071 | MV-22B | VMX-22 [MV-00] | |
|
| 166493 | D0072 | MV-22B | VMX-22 [MV-01] | |
|
| 166494 | D0073 | MV-22B | VMM-266 [ES-12] | |
|
| 166495 | D0074 | MV-22B | VMM-263 [EG-11] | |
|
| 166496 | D0075 | MV-22B | VMM-266 [ES-10] | |
|
| 04-0027 | D1008 | CV-22B | 71st SOS/58th SOW | |
|
| 166497 | D0076 | MV-22B | VMM-365 [YM-07] | |
|
| 166498 | D0077 | MV-22B | VMM-365 [YM-06] | ||
| 166499 | D0078 | MV-22B | VMM-266 [ES-05] | ||
| LRIP Lot 9 Aircraft (FY2006) | |||||
| 05-0028 | D1009 | CV-22B | 8th SOS/1st SOW | |
|
| 05-0029 | D1010 | CV-22B | 8th SOS/1st SOW | |
|
| 05-0030 | D1011 | CV-22B | 8th SOS/1st SOW | |
|
| 166685 | D0079 | MV-22B | VMM-266 [ES-04] | |
|
| 166686 | D0080 | MV-22B | VMM-266 [ES-03] | ||
| 166687 | D0081 | MV-22B | VMM-162 [YS-05] | |
|
| 166688 | D0082 | MV-22B | VMM-162 [YS-02] | ||
| 166689 | D0083 | MV-22B | VMM-162 [YS-03] | |
|
| 166690 | D0084 | MV-22B | VMM-162 [YS-05] | |
|
| 166691 | D0085 | MV-22B | VMM-263 [EG-07] | ||
| 166692 | D0086 | MV-22B | VMM-162 [YS-09] | ||
| LRIP Lot 10 Aircraft (FY2007) | |||||
| 06-0031 | D1012 | CV-22B | 8th SOS/1st SOW | |
|
| 06-0032 | D1013 | CV-22B | 8th SOS/1st SOW | |
|
| 06-0033 | D1014 | CV-22B | 8th SOS/1st SOW | ||
| 166718 | D0087 | MV-22B | VMM-266 [ES-02] | ||
| 166719 | D0088 | MV-22B | VMM-266 [ES-09] | ||
| 166720 | D0089 | MV-22B | VMM-263 [EG-04] | ||
| 166721 | D0090 | MV-22B | VMM-162 [YS-07] | ||
| 166722 | D0091 | MV-22B | VMM-263 [EG-??] | ||
| 166723 | D0092 | MV-22B | VMM-263 [EG-00] | ||
| 166724 | D0093 | MV-22B | VMM-263 [EG-01] | ||
| 166725 | D0094 | MV-22B | VMX-22 [MV-03] | |
|
| 166726 | D0095 | MV-22B | |||
| 166731 | D0096 | MV-22B | VMM-261 [EM-00] | ||
| 166732 | D0097 | MV-22B | VMM-365 [YM-24] | ||
| 166733 | D0098 | MV-22B | VMM-261 [EM-02] | ||
| 166734 | D0099 | MV-22B | VMM-261 [EM-03] | ||
| 166735 | D0100 | MV-22B | VMM-365 [YM-04] | ||
| 166736 | D0101 | MV-22B | VMM-162 [YS-00] | ||
| 166737 | D0102 | MV-22B | VMM-365 [YM-05] | ||
| Lot 11 Aircraft (FY2008) | |||||
| 07-0034 | D1015 | CV-22B | 8th SOS/1st SOW | ||
| 166738 | D0103 | MV-22B | VMM-263 [EG-06] | ||
| 166739 | D0104 | MV-22B | VMM-261 [EM-07] | ||
| 166740 | D0105 | MV-22B | VMM-261 [EM-08] | ||
| 166741 | D0106 | MV-22B | VMM-261 [EM-09] | ||
| 166742 | D0107 | MV-22B | VMM-261 [EM-10] | ||
| 166743 | D0108 | MV-22B | VMM-365 [YM-01] | ||
| 166744 | D0109 | MV-22B | VMM-266 [ES-00] | ||
| 166745 | D0110 | MV-22B | VMM-266 [ES-06] | ||
| 167902 | D0111 | MV-22B | |||
| 167903 | D0112 | MV-22B | VMM-161 [YR-01] | First aircraft delivered to MCAS Miramar 12 Dec 2009. | |
| 21 MV-22B and 5 CV-22B | |||||
Construction numbers
It has been confirmed that production USAF CV-22s have c/ns starting D1005 (02-0024) and running to D1015 (07-0034). Marine Corps MV-22s were thought to have c/ns starting '90001', but when 166391 was found to have a c/n of D0058, and 166480 of D0059 (these aircraft visited the UK in 2006) this theory went out of the window. Photos of MV-22 construction plates are required to prove this one way or the other. I have altered all c/ns in this list to start with 'D'.
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