thedrifter
07-18-07, 08:39 AM
Posted on Wed, Jul. 18, 2007
Memo reveals V-22 concerns
By BOB COX
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
Marine Corps maintenance crews could face major challenges keeping the first squadron of V-22 Ospreys flying when they deploy to Iraq in September, according to an internal memorandum.
The memo outlines a series of ongoing reliability problems that could affect the V-22's mission performance.
"Failure to bring these issues to closure quickly will run the risk of significantly impacting aircraft material condition, reducing readiness, increasing supply costs, and degrading the aircraft's ability to support the full scope of operational missions and taskings once in theater," the memo says.
Senior Marine Corps leaders have said they will send the first operational Osprey squadron to Iraq in September.
It will fly the latest version of the aircraft, the VMM 263. An exact date and deployment plan has not been announced.
The unclassified memo, sent to numerous Marine commanders June 25, was apparently written as a follow-up to a late April meeting to address the maintenance and reliability problems.
Former chief Pentagon weapons tester Philip Coyle said the memo is remarkable for its strongly worded tone.
"It's one thing to see the litany of problems," Coyle said. "It's another thing to have such candid commentary."
As recently as the International Paris Air Show in late June, Marine Col. Matt Mulhern, Osprey program manager, told reporters that the Marines were anticipating that the harsh heat and sandy conditions of Iraq would increase repair and maintenance requirements for the Osprey.
He said the Marines were working to build up inventories of critical parts that would likely be most affected.
But the new memo says Marine units are struggling to keep the aircraft flying at acceptable rates even for training flights in far less demanding circumstances than they are likely to face in Iraq.
High levels of parts failures and maintenance actions have cut into aircraft availability. That has been compounded by parts shortages that have forced mechanics to cannibalize parts from other aircraft.
The newest aircraft in use, the Block B model, has shown improved reliability, but the memo suggests that as the aircraft gains flight hours, performance could decline.
A spokesman for the Pentagon's V-22 program office, James Darcy, said the issues raised in the memo were being addressed.
The issues with the Osprey, he said, are no greater than those with any other new military aircraft.
"At this point in the program, I think we're at a normal stage of development," Darcy said, "particularly in terms of a revolutionary new aircraft."
Some fixes will require Bell and Boeing, which jointly manufacture the V-22, or their suppliers to redesign key parts and components.
Improvements could be a year or more away.
The V-22 can take off and land like a helicopter and -- by rotating its wingtip-mounted engines to a horizontal position -- fly at higher speeds similar to airplanes.
Refining and improving the V-22, said Bell-Boeing spokesman Bob Leder, is an ongoing process. "We're always going to be doing something on that aircraft to make it better."
To help the Marines keep the V-22 flying in Iraq, Bell and Boeing will send their own civilian mechanics with the squadron, as well as engineering and technical experts.
MAINTENANCE CONCERNS
Among the problems cited in the memo are:
Ice-protection system: Needed for high-altitude flights. System components are fragile and unreliable. Rotor blade heating element damages blades. The system is only on the new Block B aircraft.
Flight-control computer: An ongoing problem for years; built-in testing system is unreliable.
Swash-plate actuators: Critical hydraulic component that controls operation of rotor blades has long had reliability problems.
Environmental control system: Cockpit air conditioning essential to proper functioning of electronic systems. High failure rates because of debris and dirt.
Ellie
Memo reveals V-22 concerns
By BOB COX
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
Marine Corps maintenance crews could face major challenges keeping the first squadron of V-22 Ospreys flying when they deploy to Iraq in September, according to an internal memorandum.
The memo outlines a series of ongoing reliability problems that could affect the V-22's mission performance.
"Failure to bring these issues to closure quickly will run the risk of significantly impacting aircraft material condition, reducing readiness, increasing supply costs, and degrading the aircraft's ability to support the full scope of operational missions and taskings once in theater," the memo says.
Senior Marine Corps leaders have said they will send the first operational Osprey squadron to Iraq in September.
It will fly the latest version of the aircraft, the VMM 263. An exact date and deployment plan has not been announced.
The unclassified memo, sent to numerous Marine commanders June 25, was apparently written as a follow-up to a late April meeting to address the maintenance and reliability problems.
Former chief Pentagon weapons tester Philip Coyle said the memo is remarkable for its strongly worded tone.
"It's one thing to see the litany of problems," Coyle said. "It's another thing to have such candid commentary."
As recently as the International Paris Air Show in late June, Marine Col. Matt Mulhern, Osprey program manager, told reporters that the Marines were anticipating that the harsh heat and sandy conditions of Iraq would increase repair and maintenance requirements for the Osprey.
He said the Marines were working to build up inventories of critical parts that would likely be most affected.
But the new memo says Marine units are struggling to keep the aircraft flying at acceptable rates even for training flights in far less demanding circumstances than they are likely to face in Iraq.
High levels of parts failures and maintenance actions have cut into aircraft availability. That has been compounded by parts shortages that have forced mechanics to cannibalize parts from other aircraft.
The newest aircraft in use, the Block B model, has shown improved reliability, but the memo suggests that as the aircraft gains flight hours, performance could decline.
A spokesman for the Pentagon's V-22 program office, James Darcy, said the issues raised in the memo were being addressed.
The issues with the Osprey, he said, are no greater than those with any other new military aircraft.
"At this point in the program, I think we're at a normal stage of development," Darcy said, "particularly in terms of a revolutionary new aircraft."
Some fixes will require Bell and Boeing, which jointly manufacture the V-22, or their suppliers to redesign key parts and components.
Improvements could be a year or more away.
The V-22 can take off and land like a helicopter and -- by rotating its wingtip-mounted engines to a horizontal position -- fly at higher speeds similar to airplanes.
Refining and improving the V-22, said Bell-Boeing spokesman Bob Leder, is an ongoing process. "We're always going to be doing something on that aircraft to make it better."
To help the Marines keep the V-22 flying in Iraq, Bell and Boeing will send their own civilian mechanics with the squadron, as well as engineering and technical experts.
MAINTENANCE CONCERNS
Among the problems cited in the memo are:
Ice-protection system: Needed for high-altitude flights. System components are fragile and unreliable. Rotor blade heating element damages blades. The system is only on the new Block B aircraft.
Flight-control computer: An ongoing problem for years; built-in testing system is unreliable.
Swash-plate actuators: Critical hydraulic component that controls operation of rotor blades has long had reliability problems.
Environmental control system: Cockpit air conditioning essential to proper functioning of electronic systems. High failure rates because of debris and dirt.
Ellie