PAUL LEWIS / WASHINGTON DC
The Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey team is looking for a decision this August to raise the minimum sustained production rate for the tiltrotor in 2005, after the successful Defence Acquisition Board (DAB) review of the restructured programme and flight testing.
While industry has welcomed the endorsement of Pete Aldridge, the outgoing undersecretary of defence for acquisition, technology and logistics and a known V-22 sceptic, it was tempered by the DAB's failure to step-up production. The overarching integrated product team (OIPT) will instead study the issue ahead of a decision. Raising the production rate is critical to meeting the goal of cutting $10 million from the $68 million MV-22 unit cost.
Aldridge has asked the OIPT to identify options for "more efficient and/or increased production", enhancing capabilities with the Joint Tactical Radio System and Link 16 and refine budget estimates. The flight-test programme "has done everything I've asked it to do and has demonstrated that it is safe and reliable", says Aldridge, who adds: "We have a lot more to do in terms of budgeting and looking at the ramp-up, and we have got to do an operational evaluation test."
The plan is to remain at 11 Ospreys a year until a second operational evaluation (opeval) concludes in April 2005. Production would then increase to 20 MV-22s and air force CV-22s in 2006, 31 in 2007, and 35 in 2008, before reaching 39 tiltrotors in 2009. A Milestone B decision on full rate hinges on a successful opeval, but in the interim Aldridge admits an increase from 11 to 20 in one year is "too fast a jump" and that an increase to 16 in 2005 is a more reasonable ramp-up.
The Pentagon is warning the defence secretary that the scope of operational assessment planned for May 2004 is not adequate to ensure the V-22 "will be operationally effective" as required by Congress before committing to full rate.
Source: Flight International
