The contract provides for the manufacture and delivery of 39 CMV-22B aircraft for the Navy; 14 MV-22B aircraft for the Marine Corps; one CV-22B for the Air Force; and four MV-22B aircraft for the government of Japan.
“Bell Boeing is pleased to extend production of the V-22, supporting our warfighters with one of the most versatile and in-demand platforms in the U.S. arsenal,” said Chris Gehler, Bell Vice President for the V-22 Program. “This multiyear production contract provides program production stability through at least 2024.”
The U.S. Navy will use its new CMV-22B for transporting personnel and cargo from shore to aircraft carriers, eventually replacing the C-2 Greyhound, which has been in service since the mid-1960s.
“By combining aircraft for three services and a key U.S. Ally into one multiyear order, the U.S. Navy gets more capability for its procurement dollar,” said Kristin Houston, Vice President, Boeing Tiltrotor Programs and Director, Bell Boeing V-22 Program. “It also enables the U.S. Navy to begin advancing its carrier onboard delivery fleet with modern tiltrotor aircraft. It’s a true win-win.”
According to the U.S. Department of Defense, the majority of the manufacturing work for this contract will take place in Fort Worth, Texas (30.08 percent), Ridley Park, Penn (15.22 percent) and Amarillo, Texas (12.73 percent).
For more aerospace news, check out: Can We Manufacture 37,000 New Aircraft Over the Next 20 Years?