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JAWA - MV-22 OSPREY

12 December 2000

BELL BOEING V-22 OSPREY

US Air Force designation: CV-22
US Navy designation: HV-22
US Marine Corps designation: MV-22
Manufacturer's model: 901

Type
Multimission tiltrotor.

Programme
Based on Bell/NASA XV-15 tiltrotor; initiated as US Department of Defense Joint Services Advanced Vertical Lift Aircraft (JVX), run by US Army, FY82; programme transferred to US Navy January 1983; 24 month US Navy preliminary design contract 26 April 1983; aircraft named V-22 Osprey January 1985; seven year full-scale development (FSD) began 2 May 1986 with order for six prototypes (Nos. 1, 3 and 6 by Bell at Arlington, Texas; Nos. 2, 4 and 5 by Boeing at Wilmington, Delaware) plus static test airframes.

Prototype (163911) first flew 19 March 1989; joined by four further aircraft by June 1991; sixth not flown; all now retired (last flight 27 March 1997 by 163913); details of individual airframes and early development history appear in 1997-98 and previous editions of Jane's.

Osprey passed critical design review 13 December 1994; simultaneous defence review authorised V-22 production for both Marines and special forces, but latter version subsequently delayed, with decision to proceed with EMD phase not reached until January 1997. In meantime, contract for five low-rate initial production (LRIP) aircraft awarded June 1996.

All four EMD Ospreys flown in 1997-98. EMD Ospreys - see Current Versions (specific) - have significant changes from earlier aircraft, including substantial reduction in empty weight to approximately 14,800 kg (32,628 lb); aluminium cockpit cage, replacing titanium, but with smaller windows to preserve structural strength; upgraded flight controls; enhanced engine and drive system; improved tail unit construction (built by Aerostructures) including fibre placement aft fuselage; redesigned rotor system; absence of fin tuning weights; improved wing constructional techniques; redesigned wiring; and pyrotechnic escape hatches.

Manufacture of first LRIP MV-22B (165433) began 7 May 1997; splicing of three major fuselage sections took place in Philadelphia on 25 February 1998, with completed fuselage airlifted by C-17 to Arlington on 8 September 1998 for final assembly. Second LRIP aircraft also completed at Arlington, whereupon assembly transferred to new factory at Amarillo, Texas.

First flight of first LRIP MV-22B on 30 April 1999, followed by official roll-out and handover to US Marine Corps on 14 May, with delivery to New River later in May; subsequently to Patuxent River for flight testing. Next major milestone was operational evaluation; seven-month opeval began 2 November 1999 with first two LRIP MV-22Bs, which joined by two more by January 2000. These four aircraft accumulated 820 flight hours in 350 sorties by end of opeval in July 2000; launch of full-rate production in FY01 dependent upon successful conclusion of opeval, but approval still awaited at beginning of October 2000 and may be deferred until 2001.

Opeval included trials in USS Essex with four MV-22Bs in first quarter 2000 and one aircraft temporarily sent to Kirtland AFB, New Mexico, in March 2000 for trials with USAF 58th Special Operations Wing, before programme abruptly halted on 8 April 2000 when type grounded following fatal crash of fourth LRIP MV-22B (165436) at Avra Valley Airport, Arizona. Subsequent investigation established most likely cause as `power settling', a condition in which it becomes difficult to stop descent because of recirculating air from rotor downwash. Clearance to return to flight given on 25 May 2000, with Opeval resuming on 5 June. Final phase included trials at China Lake, California, and New River, North Carolina, before being concluded in late July 2000.

By mid-September 2000, V-22 total flight time was 2,900 hours, during which aircraft had demonstrated speed of 342 kt (633 km/h; 394 mph), 7,620 m (25,000 ft) height, 27,442 kg (60,5000 lb) MTOW and 3.9 g load factor.

Current Versions (specific)
No. 7/164939: Assembly began 15 February 1995; fuselage sections mated at Boeing's Philadelphia plant on 1 August 1995; followed two months later by wing and nacelle mating at Fort Worth. Fuselage to Fort Worth for fitting of wings and engines. Ground vibration testing completed in late July 1996; tests of hydraulic lines concluded soon after, with integrated functional testing commencing in August. First flight in helicopter mode 5 February 1997 (at Fort Worth); first transition to conventional flight 6 March 1997; aircraft to V-22 Integrated Test Team at Patuxent River on 15 March 1997; ensuing objectives (structural, load and vibration tests) completed by mid-1998. Prepared at Arlington for trials of CV-22 version's auxiliary fuel tanks and terrain-following/terrain-avoidance radar; modification work began 1 July 1999; flight status regained on 28 February 2000 and by 6 July had completed 427 hours and 214 sorties.

No. 8/164940: First flight 15 August 1997; to Patuxent River on 13 September 1997 and allocated to propulsion and systems testing and envelope expansion, including high altitude trials and external loads demonstrations in 1998. During latter, it set new unofficial world record in August 1998 by carrying 4,536 kg (10,000 lb) external load at 220 kt (407 km/h; 253 mph). By 6 July 2000, had completed 489 hours of flight testing in 276 sorties.

No. 9/164941: First flight 17 July 1997; to Patuxent River 30 October 1997; allocated to validation of FLIR, navigation and other mission systems, as well as government technical evaluation. Had achieved total of 318 flight hours in 140 sorties, when arrived at Arlington on 7 June 1999 to be remanufactured as prototype for CV-22 special missions version, at cost saving of US$50 million; work scheduled for completion in mid-2000, with aircraft due to have joined 418th Flight Test Squadron at Edwards AFB, California, on 18 September 2000 for 18-month trials programme.

No. 10/164942: Wing and fuselage mating accomplished at Fort Worth in September 1996. To Patuxent River 15 February 1998, following first flight on 15 January; underwent modification in mid-1998, before participating (with No. 9) in operational evaluation during September and October 1998; performed sea trials in USS Saipan in January-February and USS Tortuga and Saipan in August-September 1999. By 6 July 2000, had completed 450 hours of flight testing in 198 sorties.

Current Versions (general)
MV-22B: Basic US Marine Corps transport; original requirement for 552 (now 360), to replace CH-46 Sea Knight and CH-53 Sea Stallion. First delivery (to Patuxent River via New River) in late May 1999 with three more handed over to test unit HMX-1 by January 2000; IOC to follow in August 2001. First unit to be VMMT-204 at New River, North Carolina, which officially redesignated (from HMT-204) on 10 June 1999; received four opeval aircraft from HMX-1 at end of July 2000 and expected to have become operational with 12 MV-22Bs in January 2000; will function as fleet replacement squadron and also train USAF pilots; first deployable squadron expected to be VMM-264, also at New River. USMC eventually plans to have 18 regular and four Reserve MV-22 squadrons (each with 12 aircraft) by 2013, plus training unit already mentioned.

HV-22B: US Navy combat search and rescue (CSAR), special warfare and fleet logistics model. Requirement for 48 (originally 50); deliveries from FY10.

CV-22B: US Air Force long-range special missions aircraft to replace MH-53J helicopter and augment MC-130 (Hercules) with Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). Original requirement for 80 reduced to 55, then 50; should carry 12 troops or 1,306 kg (2,880 lb) internal cargo over 520 n mile (964 km; 599 mile) radius at 250 kt (463 km/h; 288 mph), with ability to hover OGE at 1,220 m (4,000 ft) at 35ºC (95ºF). EMD go-ahead authorised in January 1997, with award of US$490 million contract; critical design review completed in mid-December 1998. Flight testing will use remanufactured first and third EMD Ospreys at Edwards AFB, California, and is scheduled for completion in 2002. First five due for delivery in 2003, to 58th Special Operations Wing at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico; IOC of first AFSOC squadron at Hurlburt Field, Florida in September 2004. Procurement scheduled for FY01 to FY07, with final delivery in 2009.

Initial eight Lot 5/6 CV-22Bs to `baseline' Block 0 configuration, but will have provisions for Block 10 upgrades, including dual digital map display capability, AN/AVR-2A laser detector, directional IR countermeasures (DIRCM), second AN/ALE-47 dispenser unit and hoist control from cockpit; subsequent lots will incorporate Block 10 improvements, although DIRCM lasers will not be installed until Lot 7. Block 10 perceived as first phase of three-stage upgrade programme for CV-22B, with testing of new features to be accomplished by third EMD Osprey in 2003.

V-22 also now under consideration for USAF combat search and rescue (CSAR) mission as potential replacement for Sikorsky HH-60G; response to USAF request for information submitted on 3 February 2000, with analysis of alternatives due to be completed by March 2001 and procurement following from 2004. V-22 in competition with five helicopter types (HH-60, H-53, S-92, NH90 and EH 101).

V-22 PROCUREMENT

FY	Lot	MV-22	CV-22
97	1 (LRIP)	5
98	2 (LRIP)	7
99	3 (LRIP)	7
00	4 (LRIP)	11
01	5	16	4
Total		46	4

Note: Overall procurement programme comprises 360 MV-22, 50 CV-22 and 48 HV-22


US Army: Original requirement for 231 V-22s, based on USMC transport, withdrawn. Documented requirement remains for V-22 in medevac, special operations and combat assault support roles.

Customers
See above. Initial increment of production funding in FY96 budget, when US$48 million requested. First five production aircraft funded in FY97; further seven in FY98, seven in FY99 and 11 in FY00, to complete LRIP phase. Marketing in Europe has begun, with first objective being to determine interest of foreign governments with similar requirement. Bell Boeing has also proposed V-22 as suitable for UK's joint RAF/Navy Support Amphibious Battlefield Rotorcraft requirement, for which total of over 40 will be needed. In-service date currently expected to be 2008. V-22 could also satisfy Royal Navy's Future Organic Airborne Early Warning (FOAEW) requirement, although Northrop Grumman Hawkeye also a candidate.

Costs
Estimated cost (1991) to complete full-scale development, US$2,750 million. Unit cost US$32.3 million (November 1997); FY97 budget included US$1.385 billion for five MV-22s; FY98 budget included US$661 million for seven MV-22s; FY99 request included US$664.1 million for seven MV-22s. Separate US$490 million contract modification awarded by USN in December 1996 for EMD of CV-22 special operations version; acquisition costs of 50 CV-22s estimated at US$3.72 billion based on FY01-08 procurement plan. Unit cost of MV-22B reported as US$57 million (2000).

Design Features
Unconventional design, with proprotors and engines mounted at tips of wings. Fuselage optimised for transport, featuring upswept rear, with loading ramp and twin fins of moderate sweepback. High-mounted, constant-chord wings with slight forward sweep; unswept tailplane; prominent landing gear sponsons.

During vertical take-off, wing begins to produce lift and ailerons, elevators and rudders become effective at between 40 and 80 kt (74 and 148 km/h; 46 and 92 mph). At this point, rotary-wing controls are gradually phased out by the flight control system. At approximately 100 to 120 kt (185 to 222 km/h; 115 to 138 mph), wing is fully effective and cyclic pitch control of proprotors is locked out.

In conversion from aeroplane flight to hover, fuselage and wing are free to remain in level attitude, eliminating tendency for wing to stall as speed decreases. Rotor lift fully compensates for decrease in wing lift. Because of great variability between aircraft and nacelle attitude, conversion corridor (range of permissible airspeeds for each angle of nacelle tilt) is very wide (about 100 kt; 185 km/h; 115 mph).

Engines are connected by shaft through wing. Under dual engine operations, shaft transmits very little power, but if one engine is lost, half remaining power is transferred to opposite proprotor. In event of double engine failure, can maintain proprotor rpm while descending without power. Pilot has options of making wingborne or rotorborne descent.

Engines, transmission and proprotors tilt through 97º 30' between forward flight and steepest approach gradient or tail-down hover; cross-shaft keeps both proprotors turning after engine loss. Three-blade, contrarotating proprotors have special high-twist tapered format blades with elastomeric bearings and powered folding mechanisms; separate swashplates produce respectively yaw and fore-and-aft translation in hover and sideways flight in level attitude; tip speed 202 m (662 ft)/s.

Wing-fold sequence from helicopter mode involves power-folding of blades parallel to wing leading-edge, tilting engine nacelles down to horizontal and rotating entire wing/engine/proprotor group clockwise on stainless steel carousel to lie over fuselage; entire procedure for stowage takes about 90 seconds and MV-22 occupies same amount of deck space as Sikorsky CH-53E.

Flying Controls
Three-lane fly-by-wire (Moog actuators) with automatic stabilisation, full autopilot and formation-flying modes. Conventional aeroplane stick, rudder pedals and throttle automatically function as in helicopter cyclic stick, yaw pedals and collective control. Automatic control of configuration change during transition and of transfer of control from aerodynamic surfaces to rotor-blade pitch changing; flaperons and ailerons droop during hover to reduce download on wing. Pilot also controls nacelle angle. Failure of one nacelle actuator automatically results in both nacelles reverting to helicopter mode for a vertical or run-on emergency landing.

Rotors have separate cyclic control swashplates for sideways flight and fore-and-aft control (symmetrical for forward and rearward flight and differential for yaw) in hover. Lateral attitude controlled in hover by differential rotor thrust. Integrated electronic cockpit with six electronic display screens; helicopter-style control columns rather than aileron wheels, but left-handed power levers move forward for full power in opposite sense to helicopter collective lever. Using nacelle control provides additional method of manoeuvring, completely independent of fuselage attitude or cyclic pitch. Minimum time to accomplish a full conversion from hover to aeroplane flight mode is 12 seconds.

Structure
Approximately 43 per cent of airframe is composites; main composites are Hercules IM-6 graphite/epoxy in wing and AS4 in fuselage and tail; proprotor blades of graphite/glass fibre; nacelle cowlings and pylon supports are of GFRP. Cabin has composites floor panels and aluminium window frames. Crew seats of boron carbide/polyethylene laminate.

Different design approach adopted for EMD and subsequent production aircraft, whereby integrated product teams (IPTs) were tasked with using best available material to reduce cost and weight and simultaneously improve quality. In consequence, fuselage is now a hybrid structure, with mainly aluminium frames and composite skins. Benefits of IPT process are a 1,200 kg (2,645 lb) reduction in weight and a reduction in cost of over 22 per cent, with part count falling by 36 per cent and fastener count by 34 per cent.

High-strength wing, torsion box made up from one-piece upper and lower skins with moulded ribs and bonded stringers; two-segment graphite single-slotted flaperons with titanium fittings; three-segment detachable leading-edge of aluminium alloy with Nomex honeycomb core. Wing locking and unlocking with Lucas Aerospace actuators; fuselage sponsons contain landing gear, air conditioning unit and fuel; tail unit of Hercules AS4 graphite/epoxy, built by Bell from first EMD aircraft onwards. Bell also contributes wing, nacelles, proprotor, ramp, overwing fairing and transmission systems and integrates engines. Boeing responsible for fuselage, landing gear, electric and hydraulic systems and integrates avionics.

Landing Gear
Dowty hydraulically actuated retractable tricycle type, with twin wheels and oleo-pneumatic shock-absorbers on each unit, Menasco Canada steerable nose unit. Main gear accommodated in sponsons on lower sides of centre-fuselage. Dowty Toronto two-stage shock-absorption in main gear is designed for landing impacts of up to 3.66 m (12 ft)/s normal, 4.48 m (14.7 ft)/s maximum, and has been drop tested to 7.32 m (24 ft)/s. Nosewheels retract rearward, mainwheels forward (was rearward on FSD aircraft only). Manual and nitrogen pressurised standby systems for emergency extension. Parker Bertea wheels and multidisc hydraulic carbon brakes. Main tyres 8.50-10 (12 ply) tubeless; nose tyres 18×5.7-8 (14 ply) tubeless.

Power Plant
Two Rolls-Royce T406-AD-400 (501-M80C) turboshafts, each with T-O and intermediate rating of 4,586 kW (6,150 shp) and maximum continuous rating of 4,392 kW (5,890 shp), installed in Bell-built hydraulically actuated tilting nacelles at wingtips and driving a three-blade proprotor incorporating substantial proportion of graphite/epoxy and glass fibre materials.

Engine output transferred to each rotor via proprotor gearbox which also drives tilt-axis gearbox, each of which absorbs 315 kW (423 shp) for electric and hydraulic pressure generation. Tilt-axis gearboxes connected by segmented shaft, driving (in fuselage) single mid-wing gearbox and APU. Transmission T-O rating 3,408 kW (4,570 shp) in MV-22; 3,706 kW (4,970 shp) in USN and USAF versions. OEI rating 4,415 kW (5,920 shp); rotor rpm remains constant. With total engine failure, aircraft generators can maintain essential systems on 67 per cent of rotor rpm. Transmission has 30 minute run dry capability.

Each nacelle has a Honeywell IR emission suppressor at rear. Air particle separator and Lucas inlet/spinner ice protection system for each engine. Lucas Aerospace FADEC for each engine, with analogue electronic back-up control. Pratt & Whitney originally named as second production source for engines, starting with production Lot 5.

Fuel capacity varies according to role; basic internal usable fuel (JP-5) in four crash-resistant, self-sealing (nitrogen pressurised) ILC Dover flexible fuel tanks: one 1,809 litre (478 US gallon; 398 Imp gallon) forward cell in each sponson and a 333 litre (88.0 US gallon; 73.3 Imp gallon) feed tank in each outer wing; basic fuel (MV-22) 4,285 litres (1,132 US gallons; 943 Imp gallons). Additional fuel for long range contained in 1,196 litre (316 US gallon; 263 Imp gallon) cell in rear of starboard sponson (MV-22 option 5,481 litres; 1,448 US gallons; 1,206 Imp gallons) and four 280 litre (74 US gallon; 61.6 Imp gallon) auxiliary cells in each wing leading-edge (CV-22 baseline 7,722 litres; 2,040 US gallons; 1,699 Imp gallons). Self deployment aided by up to four 2,328 litre (615 US gallon; 512 Imp gallon) auxiliary tanks in cabin. (Not all versions have all tanks.) Pressure refuelling point in starboard sponson leading-edge; gravity point in upper surface of each wing. Simmonds fuel management system. In-flight refuelling probe in lower starboard side of forward fuselage; standard item on CV-22 and available in kit form for MV-22. Fixed probe installed initially, but will be replaced by retractable type with effect from Lot 6; new probe likely to be provided by Flight Refuelling; will give wider field of fire for proposed gun turret and facilitate deck handling at sea.

Accommodation
Normal crew complement of pilot (in starboard seat), co-pilot and crew chief in USMC variant. USAF CV-22 will have third seat for flight engineer. Flight crew accommodated on Simula Inc crashworthy armoured seats capable of withstanding strikes from 0.30 in armour-piercing ammunition, 30 g forward and 14.5 g vertical decelerations. Flight deck has overhead and knee-level side transparencies in addition to large windscreen and main side windows, plus an overhead rearview mirror.

Main cabin can accommodate up to 24 combat-equipped troops, on inward-facing crashworthy foldaway seats, plus two gunners; up to 12 litters plus medical attendants; or a 9,070 kg (20,000 lb) cargo load with energy absorbing tiedowns. Cargo handling provisions include a 907 kg (2,000 lb) capacity cargo winch and pulley system and removable roller rails. Main cabin door at front on starboard side, top portion of which opens upward and inward, lower portion (with built-in steps) downward and outward. Full-width rear-loading ramp/door in underside of rear fuselage, operated by Parker Bertea hydraulic actuators. Emergency exit windows on port side; escape hatch in fuselage roof aft of wing.

Systems
Environmental control system, utilising engine bleed air; control unit in rear of port main landing gear sponson. Three hydraulic systems (two independent main systems and one standby), all at operating pressure of 345 bars (5,000 lb/sq in), with Parker Bertea reservoirs.

Electrical power supplied by two Leland 40 kVA constant frequency AC generators, two 50/80 kVA variable frequency DC generators (one driven by APU), rectifiers, and a 24 Ah lead-acid battery. Latter provides 20 minutes emergency flight power.

GE Aerospace triple redundant digital fly-by-wire flight control system, incorporating triple primary FCS (PFCS) and triple automatic FCS (AFCS) processors, and triple flight control computers (FCC) each linked to a MIL-STD-1553B databus; two PFCSs and one AFCS are fail-operational. FBW system signals hydraulic actuation of flaperons, elevator and rudders, controls aircraft transition between helicopter and aeroplane modes, and can be programmed for automatic management of airspeed, nacelle tilting and angle of attack. FCCs provide interfaces for swashplate, conversion actuator, flaperon, elevator, rudder and engine nacelle primary actuators, flight deck central drive, force feel, and nosewheel steering. Dual 1750A processors for PFCS and single 1750A for AFCS incorporated in each FCC. Non-redundant standby analogue computer (in development aircraft only) provides control of aircraft, including FADEC and pylon actuation, in the event of FBW system failure.

Hamilton Sundstrand Turbomach T-62T-46-2 224 kW (300 shp) APU, in rear portion of wing centre-section, provides power for mid-wing gearbox which, in turn, drives two electrical generators and an air compressor. Anti-icing of windscreens and engine air intakes; de-icing of proprotors and spinners. Clifton Precision combined oxygen (OBOGS) and nitrogen (OBIGGS) generating systems for cabin and fuel tank pressurisation respectively. Systron Donner pneumatic fire protection systems for engines, APU and wing dry bays.

Avionics
Comms: VHF/AM-FM, HF/SSB and (USAF only) UHF secure voice com; IFF. CV-22 will have four DCS2000 radios, combining AN/ARC-210 transceiver and KY-58 communications security encoder. Crash position indicator also to be installed on CV-22.

Radar: (USAF and USN only): Raytheon AN/APQ-174D terrain-following, terrain-avoidance multifunction radar in offset (to port) nose thimble for USN; advanced version, designated AN/APQ-186, with lower-altitude TF capability, in USAF aircraft..

Flight: AN/ARN-153(V) Tacan, AN/ARN-147 VOR/ILS, AHRS, AN/APN-194(V) radar altimeter, OA-8697/ARC UHF/VHF automatic direction-finder, lightweight inertial navigation system (LWINS), miniature airborne GPS receiver (MAGR) and digital map displays; Jet Inc ADI-350W standby attitude indicator; L-3 Communications data acquisition and storage system. Two Control Data AN/AYK-14 mission computers, with Boeing/IBM software. Low probability of intercept/detection radar altimeter may be added to CV-22 version at later date.

Instrumentation: Elbit/BAE Systems North America AN/AVS-7 pilots' night vision and integrated display system. Four full-colour. multifunction displays (MFDs) in cockpit provide pilots with primary flight symbology to control and navigate aircraft, plus video imagery such as FLIR and digital map data; these originally relied on CRTs, but replaced by EFW Inc flat panel active matrix liquid crystal displays (AMLCDs) on US Marine Corps MV-22Bs starting in FY99, followed by USN HV-22s. AMLCDs to be installed on USAF CV-22B from outset. Lighting compatible with night vision goggles. Additional AMLCD control display unit and engine indication and crew alerting system (CDU/EICAS) in centre of console.

Mission: Raytheon AN/AAQ-27 FLIR incorporating laser range-finder in undernose fairing, with wide and narrow fields of view. Additional equipment expected to satisfy unique mission requirements of special operations forces and Navy combat search and rescue.

Self-defence: Honeywell AN/AAR-47 missile warning system; AN/APR-39A radar warning system; IR warning system; BAE Systems North America AN/ALE-47 countermeasures dispenser system (CMDS). CV-22 for USAF to utilise ITT Avionics AN/ALQ-211 integrated RF countermeasures suite, incorporating radar warning receiver, ESM radar location and jammers and will also have AN/AVR-2A laser detector system and a second, forward-firing, AN/ALE-47 dispenser system. Dedicated electronic warfare display (DEWD) unit also under development for CV-22 by Meggitt Avionics.

Equipment
Provision for internally stowed rescue hoist over forward (starboard) cabin door on CV-22. USMC and USAF Ospreys have fast rope/rope ladders to facilitate insertion/extraction operations.

Armament
Provision stipulated in December 1994 for nose cannon; budget constraints resulted in this being deleted, but consideration again given in late 1998 to installing nose-mounted turreted defensive gun on MV-22 and this was evaluated in 2000, with General Dynamics Armament Systems 12.7 mm weapon selected in September 2000. Based on GAU-19/A, it consists of three-barrel weapon system weighing 209 kg (460 lb) and capable of firing 1,200 rounds per minute; magazine containing 750 rounds to be positioned under the floor and can be replenished in flight.

US Air Force also considering self-defence gun for CV-22. USMC plans to request funding in 2001, followed by flight trials in 2004, with weapon to be installed on new-build MV-22Bs and retrofitted to earlier aircraft.

Dimensions, External

Rotor diameter, each	11.58 m (38 ft 0 in)
Rotor blade chord: at root	0.90 m (2 ft 11½ in)
at tip	0.56 m (1 ft 10 in)
Wing span: excl nacelles	14.02 m (46 ft 0 in)
incl nacelles	15.52 m (50 ft 11 in)
Width: rotors turning	25.40 m (83 ft 4 in)
stowed	5.61 m (18 ft 5 in)
Wing chord, constant	2.54 m (8 ft 4 in)
Wing aspect ratio, excl nacelles	5.5
Distance between proprotor centres	14.25 m (46 ft 9 in)
Length: fuselage, excl probe	17.47 m (57 ft 4 in)
overall, wings stowed/blades folded	19.08 m (62 ft 7 in)
Height: over tailfins	5.38 m (17 ft 7½ in)
wings stowed/blades folded	5.51 m (18 ft 1 in)
overall, nacelles vertical	6.63 m (21 ft 9 in)
Tail span, over fins	5.61 m (18 ft 5 in)
Wheel track (c/l of outer mainwheels)	4.62 m (15 ft 2 in)
Wheelbase	6.59 m (21 ft 7½ in)
Nacelle ground clearance, nacelles vertical	1.31 m (4 ft 3½ in)
Proprotor ground clearance, nacelles vertical	6.35 m (20 ft 10 in)
Dorsal escape hatch: Length	1.02 m (3 ft 4 in)
Width	0.74 m (2 ft 5 in)

Dimensions, Internal

Cabin: Length	7.37 m (24 ft 2 in)
Max width	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Max height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Usable volume	24.3 m3 (858 cu ft)

Areas

Rotor discs, each	105.36 m2 (1,134.1 sq ft)
Rotor blades: each	4.05 m2 (43.58 sq ft)
total	24.30 m2 (261.5 sq ft)
Wing, total incl flaperons and fuselage centre-section	35.49 m2 (382.0 sq ft)
Flaperons, total	8.25 m2 (88.80 sq ft)
Fins, total	21.63 m2 (232.80 sq ft)
Rudders, total	3.27 m2 (35.20 sq ft)
Tailplane	8.22 m2 (88.50 sq ft)
Elevators, total	4.79 m2 (51.54 sq ft)

Weights and Loadings

Weight empty	15,032 kg (33,140 lb)
Max fuel weight: MV-22 baseline	3,493 kg (7,700 lb)
MV-22 option	4,468 kg (9,850 lb)
CV-22 baseline	6,282 kg (13,850 lb)
CV-22 with cabin tanks	11,970 kg (26,390 lb)
Max internal payload (cargo)	9,072 kg (20,000 lb)
Cargo hook capacity: single	4,536 kg (10,000 lb)
two hooks (combined weight)	6,804 kg (15,000 lb)
Rescue hoist capacity	272 kg (600 lb)
Normal mission T-O weight: VTO	21,545 kg (47,500 lb)
STO	24,947 kg (55,000 lb)
Max VTO weight	23,981 kg (52,870 lb)
Max STO weight for self-ferry	27,442 kg (60,500 lb)
Max floor loading (cargo)	1,464 kg/m2 (300 lb/sq ft)
Max disc loading: VTO	113.8 kg/m2 (23.31 lb/sq ft)
STO	130.2 kg/m2 (26.67 lb/sq ft)
Transmission loading at max T-O weight and power	3.55 kg/kW (5.84 lb/shp)

Performance

Max level speed at S/L	275 kt (509 km/h; 316 mph)
Max cruising speed: at S/L, helicopter mode	100 kt (185 km/h; 115 mph)
Max forward speed with max slung load	214 kt (396 km/h; 246 mph)
Max rate of climb at S/L: vertical	332 m (1,090 ft)/min
inclined	707 m (2,320 ft)/min
Service ceiling	7,925 m (26,000 ft)
Service ceiling, OEI	3,441 m (11,300 ft)
Hovering ceiling OGE	4,331 m (14,200 ft)
T-O run at normal mission STO weight	less than 152 m (500 ft)
Range:
amphibious assault	515 n miles (953 km; 592 miles)
VTO with 4,536 kg (10,000 lb) payload	350+ n miles (648+ km; 403+ miles)
VTO with 2,721 kg (6,000 lb) payload	700+ n miles (1,296+ km; 806+ miles)
STO with 4,536 kg (10,000 lb) payload	950+ n miles (1,759+ km; 1,093+ miles)
STO at 27,442 kg (60,500 lb) self-ferry gross weight, no payload	2,100 n miles (3,892 km; 2,418 miles)
g limits	+4/-1

V-22 Osprey production version flight deck (2001)

Bell Boeing MV-22B Osprey multimission tiltrotor (James Goulding/Jane's) (2001)

Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey in aeroplane mode (Kevin Flynn/Boeing) (2001)

Landing approach by Bell Boeing MV-22 Osprey (2001)

Bell Boeing Osprey flight envelope (1999)

Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey folded for stowage (2001)

Height (m):	5.38
Hovering Ceiling (m):	4331
Length (m):	17.47
Max Level Speed (kts):	275
Max Range (nm):	515
Max Rate Climb (m/min):	332
Service Ceiling (m):	7925
Wing Span (m):	14.02

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