USMC demos MV-22B Osprey in Japan
The US Marine Corps (USMC) has demonstrated the MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft’s humanitarian aid and disaster relief capabilities for officials of Sasebo City at Sakibe Air Base in Sasebo, Japan.
The demonstration was conducted by the USMC's Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 262 (Reinforced), an element of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU). It began with a simulated earthquake to the west of Kyushu, Japan. An Osprey transported humanitarian aid supplies to the Goto Islands. During the flight, it also encountered a ship-in-distress scenario and provided support.
The demonstration provided Japanese decision makers with a real-time example of the aircraft's humanitarian aid and disaster relief capabilities, as well as the unit's ability to work with the Japanese Self-Defense Force (JSDF) when providing tactical defence in the Asia-Pacific region.
The 31st MEU provides combatant commanders with a highly adaptive air-ground task force able to respond a wide range of military operations. After a series of earthquakes struck the Japanese Prefecture of Kumamoto, approximately 130 marines and sailors provided support to disaster relief operations led by the JSDF, at request of the Japanese government.
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