Bell Boeing has been awarded a $4.19bn contract modification for the production and delivery of CMV-22B Osprey aircraft, which are a variant of the MV-22B unit.
The fixed-price-incentive-fee multi-year deal has been awarded to the Bell Boeing Joint Program Office in Amarillo, Texas, and represents a modification to the previously awarded V-22 tiltrotor aircraft advance acquisition contract.
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Bell V-22 Programme vice-president Chris Gehler said: “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 US arsenal.
“This multi-year production contract provides programme production stability through at least 2024.”
The company will be required to supply a total of 58 multi-mission, tilt-rotor military aircraft under the deal.
A total of 39 CMV-22B jets are to be delivered to the US Navy as part of the arrangement, while 14 MV-22Bs will be supplied to the US Marine Corps (USMC).
In addition, the company is set to manufacture another CV-22B aircraft for the US Air Force (USAF) and a further four MV-22B units for the Government of Japan.
The US Navy is expected to use the new CMV-22B tilt-rotor aircraft to transport personnel and cargo from the shore to aircraft carriers.
Boeing Tiltrotor Programmes vice-president and Bell Boeing V-22 Programme director Kristin Houston said: “By combining aircraft for three services and a key US ally into one multi-year order, the US Navy gets more capability for its procurement dollar.
“It also enables the US Navy to begin advancing its carrier on-board delivery fleet with modern tilt-rotor aircraft.”
The CMV-22B aircraft is eventually slated to replace the C-2 Greyhound high-wing cargo aircraft, which has been in service with the navy since the mid-1960s.
