Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey Spurs International Interest in Dubai Airshow Debut

PATUXENT RIVER, Md., Dec. 1, 2011 -- The Bell Boeing V-22 Program, a strategic alliance between Bell Helicopter, a Textron Company [NYSE: TXT], and The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA], drew wide international attention at the Dubai Airshow held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from Nov. 13 to 17.

“The V-22 Osprey received significant interest at the Dubai Airshow from potential customers from around the world,” said John Rader, executive director of the Bell Boeing V-22 Program. “It is clear the V-22 is the right solution for those seeking range, speed, payload, and operational efficiency for military and humanitarian operations.”

The V-22 Osprey is a joint service, multirole combat aircraft that uses tiltrotor technology to combine the vertical performance of a helicopter with the speed and range of a fixed-wing aircraft. With its nacelles and rotors in vertical position, it can take off, land and hover like a helicopter. Once airborne, its nacelles can be rotated to transition the aircraft to a turboprop airplane capable of high-speed, high-altitude flight.

"The amount of interest in the V-22 exceeded our highest expectations leading up to the show, with many regional officials requesting briefings and demonstration flights," said Michael Andersen, deputy director, Bell Boeing V-22 Program. "We are now working on follow-up visits and providing information as requested by several governments."

The Osprey currently is flown by the U.S. Marine Corps and Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), and the operational fleet has amassed about 125,000 flight hours, nearly half of which have come in the past two years. A total of 10 Marine Corps and two AFSOC squadrons are operationally deployable today, and the two services have together logged 16 successful combat, humanitarian, ship-based or Special Operations deployments since 2007.

“The V-22 was very well received by the international community in Dubai,” said Marine Corps Col. Greg Masiello, head of the V-22 Joint Program Office (PMA-275) at the U.S. Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR). “With its unprecedented range, speed and survivability, the Osprey is perfectly suited to many of the missions that Middle Eastern forces require.”