Editing Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey (section)

===Origins===
The failure of [[Operation Eagle Claw]], the Iran hostage rescue mission, in 1980 demonstrated to the U.S. military a need<ref name=AF_mag_Finally>Kreisher, Otto. {{usurped|1=[https://archive.today/20090211080603/http://www.airforce-magazine.com/MagazineArchive/Pages/2009/February%202009/0209Osprey.aspx "Finally, the Osprey"]}}.  ''[[Air Force Magazine]]'', February 2009.</ref><ref>Whittle 2010, p. 62.</ref> for "a new type of aircraft, that could not only take off and land vertically but also could carry combat troops, and do so at speed."<ref name=fotv22o>Mackenzie, Richard (writer). [http://military.discovery.com/tv/osprey/osprey.html "Flight of the V-22 Osprey" (Television production)]. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090228021640/http://military.discovery.com/tv/osprey/osprey.html |date=28 February 2009}} ''Mackenzie Productions'' for ''[[Military Channel]]'', 7 April 2008. Retrieved 29 March 2009.</ref> Additionally, a concentrated force is vulnerable to a single [[nuclear weapon]]. Airborne solutions with high speed and range allow for their rapid dispersal to reduce this vulnerability.<ref>Whittle 2010, p. 55.</ref> The U.S. Department of Defense began the JVX aircraft program in 1981, under [[United States Army|U.S.&nbsp;Army]] leadership.<ref name=Norton_p35/>

[[File:V-22 concept.jpg|thumb|left|Early concept illustrations|alt=Early concept illustrations from late 1980s timeframe. The top view is an isometric view. Front, side and top views are shown below with a view of the wing folded.]]
The established tactical purpose of the USMC is to perform an [[Amphibious warfare|amphibious landing]], which the JVX program promised to facilitate. The USMC's primary helicopter model, the [[Boeing Vertol CH-46 Sea Knight|CH-46 Sea Knight]], was aging, and no replacement had been accepted.<ref>Whittle 2010, p. 91.</ref> Because the USMC's amphibious capability would be significantly reduced without the CH-46, USMC leadership believed a proposal to merge the Marine Corps with the Army was a credible threat.<ref>Whittle 2010, p. 87: "As Kelly saw it, the future of the Marine Corps was riding on it."</ref><ref>Whittle 2010, p. 155.</ref> This potential merger was akin to a proposal by [[Harry S. Truman|President Truman]] following [[World War II]].<ref>Whittle 2010, pp. 53, 55–56.</ref> The [[Office of the Secretary of Defense]] and Navy administration opposed the tiltrotor project, but pressure from Congress had a significant effect on the program's development.<ref>Scroggs, Stephen K. "Army Relations with Congress: Thick Armor, Dull Sword, Slow Horse" p. 232. Greenwood Press, 2000. {{ISBN|9780313019265}}.</ref>

The Navy and USMC were given the lead in 1983.<ref name=Norton_p35>Norton 2004, p. 35.</ref><ref name="Long_Road">Moyers, Al (Director of History and Research). [https://www.afotec.af.mil/News/story/id/123057888/ "The Long Road: AFOTEC's Two-Plus Decades of V-22 Involvement"]. [https://www.afotec.af.mil/News/story/id/123057888/] ''Headquarters Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center, United States Air Force'', 1 August 2007.</ref><ref>[https://archive.today/20120805115239/http://www.history.army.mil/books/DAHSUM/1982/ch09.htm "Chapter 9: Research, Development, and Acquisition"].  ''Department of the Army Historical Summary: FY 1982''. Center of Military History (CMH), United States Army, 1988. {{ISSN|0092-7880}}.</ref> The JVX combined requirements from the USMC, USAF, Army and Navy.<ref name=Norton_p22-30>Norton 2004, pp. 22–30.</ref><ref>[http://www.aiaa.org/content.cfm?pageid=406&gTable=mtgpaper&gID=79150 "AIAA-83-2726, Bell-Boeing JVX Tilt Rotor Program"]. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090211115555/http://www.aiaa.org/content.cfm?pageid=406&gTable=mtgpaper&gID=79150 |date=11 February 2009}} ''American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)'', 16–18 November 1983.</ref> A request for preliminary design proposals was issued in December 1982. Interest was expressed by [[Aérospatiale]], Bell Helicopter, Boeing Vertol, [[Grumman]], [[Lockheed Corporation|Lockheed]], and [[Westland Helicopters|Westland]]. Contractors were encouraged to form teams. Bell partnered with Boeing Vertol to submit a proposal for an enlarged version of the [[Bell XV-15]] prototype on 17 February 1983. Since this was the only proposal the JVX program received, a preliminary design contract was awarded on 26 April 1983.<ref name=Norton_p31-3>Norton 2004, pp. 31–33.</ref><ref>Kishiyama, David. [https://web.archive.org/web/20121105112424/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/672749922.html?dids=672749922:672749922&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Aug+31,+1984&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=Hybrid+Craft+Being+Developed+for+Military+and+Civilian+Use&pqatl=google "Hybrid Craft Being Developed for Military and Civilian Use"]. ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'', 31 August 1984.</ref>

The JVX aircraft was designated ''V-22 Osprey'' on 15 January 1985; by that March, the first six prototypes were being produced, and Boeing Vertol was expanded to handle the workload.<ref>Adams, Lorraine. [http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=DM&p_theme=dm&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0ED3CD43A7B71E1B&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM "Sales Talk Whirs about Bell Helicopter"]. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024125433/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=DM&p_theme=dm&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0ED3CD43A7B71E1B&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |date=24 October 2012}} ''Dallas Morning News'',10 March 1985.</ref><ref>[http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PI&s_site=philly&p_multi=PI&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB299149DB47D2B&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM "Boeing Vertol launches Three-Year, $50 Million Expansion Program"]. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024125459/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PI&s_site=philly&p_multi=PI&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB299149DB47D2B&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |date=24 October 2012}} ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'', 4 March 1985.</ref> Production work is split between Bell and Boeing. Bell Helicopter manufactures and integrates the wing, nacelles, rotors, drive system, tail surfaces, and aft ramp, as well as integrating the [[Rolls-Royce Holdings|Rolls-Royce]] engines and performing final assembly. Boeing Helicopters manufactures and integrates the fuselage, cockpit, avionics, and flight controls.<ref name=Boeing_V22overview>[http://www.boeing.com/rotorcraft/military/v22/docs/V-22_overview.pdf "V-22 Osprey Backgrounder"]. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100206025214/http://www.boeing.com/rotorcraft/military/v22/docs/V-22_overview.pdf |date=6 February 2010}} ''Boeing Defense, Space & Security'', February 2010.</ref><ref name=Bell_V-22>[http://www.bellhelicopter.com/en/aircraft/military/bellV-22.cfm "Military Aircraft: The Bell-Boeing V-22"]. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100328013808/http://www.bellhelicopter.com/en/aircraft/military/bellV-22.cfm |date=28 March 2010}} ''Bell Helicopter'', 2007. Retrieved 30 December 2010.</ref> The USMC variant received the MV-22 designation, and the USAF variant received CV-22; this was reversed from normal procedure to prevent USMC Ospreys from having a conflicting CV designation with [[aircraft carrier]]s.<ref name=Norton_p30>Norton 2004, p. 30.</ref> Full-scale development began in 1986.<ref name=V-22_CRS_RL31384>[http://opencrs.com/document/RL31384 RL31384, "V-22 Osprey Tilt-Rotor Aircraft: Background and Issues for Congress"]. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090210092501/http://www.opencrs.com/document/RL31384 |date=10 February 2009}} ''Congressional Research Service'', 22 December 2009.</ref> On 3 May 1986, Bell Boeing was awarded a US$1.714&nbsp;billion contract for the V-22 by the U.S. Navy. At this point, all four U.S. military services had acquisition plans for the V-22.<ref>Goodrich, Joseph L. [https://web.archive.org/web/20121105112439/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/projo/access/601922891.html?dids=601922891:601922891&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=May+03,+1986&author=JOSEPH+L.+GOODRICH+Journal-Bulletin+Financial+Editor&pub=The+Providence+Journal&desc=Bell-Boeing+team+lands+contract+to+develop+new+tilt-rotor+aircraft+600+jobs+expected+from+$1.714-billion+project+for+Navy&pqatl=google "Bell-Boeing team lands contract to develop new tilt-rotor aircraft, 600 jobs expected from $1.714-billion project for Navy"]. ''Providence Journal'', 3 May 1986.</ref>

The first V-22 was publicly rolled out in May 1988.<ref>Belden, Tom. [https://web.archive.org/web/20121107035035/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar/access/473702671.html?dids=473702671:473702671&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=May+23%2C+1988&author=Tom+Belden+Special+to+The+Star&pub=Toronto+Star&desc=Vertical-takeoff+plane+may+be+the+21st+century%27s+intercity+bus&pqatl=google "Vertical-takeoff plane may be the 21st century's intercity bus"]. ''Toronto Star'', 23 May 1988.</ref><ref>[https://sportsghoda.com/osprey-v-22-aircraft/ "Tilt-rotor craft flies like copter, plane"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230828074532/https://sportsghoda.com/osprey-v-22-aircraft/ |date=28 August 2023}} ''Sports Ghoda'', 28 August 2023.</ref> That year, the U.S. Army left the program, citing a need to focus its budget on more immediate aviation programs.<ref name=Norton_p35/> In 1989, the V-22 survived two separate [[United States Senate|Senate]] votes that could have resulted in cancellation.<ref>[http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PI&s_site=philly&p_multi=PI&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB95F7F483B29F2&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM "2 Senators key to fate of Boeing's V-22 Osprey"]. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024125550/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PI&s_site=philly&p_multi=PI&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB95F7F483B29F2&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |date=24 October 2012}} ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'', 6 July 1989.</ref><ref>Mitchell, Jim. [http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=DM&p_theme=dm&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0ED3D0816D568CFD&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM "Gramm defends Osprey's budget cost: Senator makes pitch for V-22 as president stumps for B-2 bomber"]. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024125607/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=DM&p_theme=dm&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0ED3D0816D568CFD&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |date=24 October 2012}} ''Dallas Morning News'', 22 July 1989.</ref> Despite the Senate's decision, the Department of Defense instructed the Navy not to spend more money on the V-22.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20121107035121/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/24666558.html?dids=24666558:24666558&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Dec+03%2C+1989&author=&pub=Chicago+Tribune+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Pentagon+halts+spending+on+V-22+Osprey&pqatl=google "Pentagon halts spending on V-22 Osprey"]. ''Chicago Tribune'', 3 December 1989.</ref> As development cost projections greatly increased in 1988, Defense Secretary [[Dick Cheney]] tried to defund it from 1989 to 1992, but was overruled by [[United States Congress|Congress]],<ref name=Long_Road/><ref name=Wired_200507/> which provided unrequested program funding.<ref name=Norton_p49>Norton 2004, p. 49.</ref> Multiple studies of alternatives found the V-22 provided more capability and effectiveness with similar operating costs.<ref name=Norton_p52>Norton 2004, p. 52.</ref> The [[Presidency of Bill Clinton|Clinton Administration]] was supportive of the V-22, helping it attain funding.<ref name=Long_Road/>

Although the Army departed the program, it eventually developed and chose a tiltrotor to replace the [[Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk|UH-60 Blackhawk]] in the 21st century, and as of the mid-2020s the Army is planning to field the [[Bell V-280 Valor|V-280 Valor]] tiltrotor.<ref>{{Cite web |first=Meredith |last=Roaten |date=5 December 2022 |title=Army Chooses Bell Textron's V-280 Valor Tiltrotor to Replace Black Hawk |url=https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2022/12/5/bell-tiltrotor-wins-billion-dollar-helo-contract |access-date=27 April 2024 |website=National Defense}}</ref>