Bell Boeing starts work on Osprey nacelle improvements
CV-22 Ospreys from the USAF 1st Special Operations Wing, pictured in August 2021. (Photo: USAF/Senior Airman Miranda Mahoney)
The USAF is keen to optimise availability of the CV-22 Osprey.
The first USAF CV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft arrived at the Bell Amarillo Assembly Center on 21 September to undergo nacelle improvement modifications.
This is part of an effort by Osprey manufacturer Bell Boeing to increase ‘reliability and maintainability’ of the aircraft for the DoD by increasing readiness rates while driving down sustainment costs, Bell announced on 23 September.
About 60% of maintenance man-hours on the CV-22 are spent in the nacelles.
US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) awarded Bell Boeing an $81 million contract in December 2020 to complete nacelle improvements on the CV-22 fleet. The contract covers completion of non-recurring elements, fabrication of nine kits, and installation of one kit.
Work on the contract could continue beyond 2025 if NAVAIR exercises options for fabrication and installation.
NAVAIR completed the first flight with nacelle improvements on a USMC MV-22 test aircraft on 23 April 2021 (the MV-22 has an identical nacelle structure to the CV-22).
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Air Warfare
-
![US Coast Guard faces key procurement decisions after C-130J and MQ-9B orders]()
US Coast Guard faces key procurement decisions after C-130J and MQ-9B orders
The service is updating several parts of its aviation fleet including fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft and procuring uncrewed aircraft to boost its maritime surveillance.
-
![AUSA 2026: New multiwarhead loitering munition enters increasingly competitive market]()
AUSA 2026: New multiwarhead loitering munition enters increasingly competitive market
Heaviside Industries has unveiled its new Tyr loitering munition at AUSA 2026 in Washington, DC, joining a growing field of manufacturers seeking to capitalise on billions of dollars in anticipated military spending.
-
![Middle Eastern demand opens fresh export prospects for Lockheed Martin’s F-35 fighter jet]()
Middle Eastern demand opens fresh export prospects for Lockheed Martin’s F-35 fighter jet
A proposed Saudi Arabian purchase of 48 stealth fighters could signal a broader regional opportunity for the F-35 as European programmes mature.
-
![US military plans multi-UAV trials with Northrop Grumman quantum-navigated Lumberjack]()
US military plans multi-UAV trials with Northrop Grumman quantum-navigated Lumberjack
An undisclosed US military branch is preparing to evaluate multiple Lumberjack Group 3 drones equipped with SandboxAQ’s AQNav magnetic-navigation system. Shephard spoke with Northrop Grumman and SandboxAQ to find out more.
-
![Akinci: How Baykar turned the UAV into an African and Middle Eastern export success]()
Akinci: How Baykar turned the UAV into an African and Middle Eastern export success
From billion-dollar industrial partnerships in the Middle East to rapid military off-the-shelf deliveries in Africa, Baykar has tailored the Akinci to the needs of very different customers. Defence Insight data shows how flexibility, price and Turkish supply-chain independence have helped drive exports.
