Patrick Durrant | Sydney
The spotlight has been on Queensland and Exercise Talisman Sabre 15 during the past two weeks and one newcomer has stolen the limelight - the Marine's Bell Boeing MV-22 Osprey.
The Bell Boeing V-22 (MV-22 is the Marine Corps variant) is a joint-service, multi-mission aircraft introduced in 2007 to replace the Boeing Vertol CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter, which flew its last service flight with the US Marine Corps in May 2015. Like the CH-46, the MV-22 is a medium-lift vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft.
Unlike the CH-46, which is a conventional helicopter using tandem rotor blades to provide the additional thrust capability of a medium-lift helicopter; the MV-22 uses large proprotors mounted on rotating nacelles to the wings. The wings and nacelle-mounted proprotors give the MV-22 the unique capability to perform VTOL missions as effectively as a helicopter while having the long-range cruise abilities of a twin turboprop aircraft.
Talisman Sabre has provided the Marine Corps with the perfect opportunity to show off their kit, and the Osprey has been the most prominent. Exercise Commander of the US 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, Brigadier General Paul Kennedy, said that there was nowhere else in the region or probably the world where his forces could do what they were able to do in the Top End.
“You can do almost anything you need to do out here,” Brigadier Kennedy said after flying into [excercise area] Bradshaw with the media on board a ship-based Osprey.
Although development work on the aircraft began as far back as 1985, it did not complete final operational evaluation until 2005. It has had its fair share of controversy as well, with critics saying it is very costly to maintain and operate. Although all fours services of the US armed forces showed an initial interest, the US Navy and Army pulled out, leaving the Air Force (50) and the Marine Corps (360) as the two remaining operators.
The Osprey has a crew of four and can carry up to 32 troops or 9000 kg of internal cargo or 6800 kg of external cargo. It has a top speed of about 500 km/hr.
Japan has recently purchased five of the aircraft and South Korea, United Arab Emirates, Israel and India have all expressed an interest.