In January 2021, the V-22 Osprey production line at Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) set a personal best, returning an aircraft to the fleet in record time: just 297 days, far faster than the standard turnaround time of 420 days. In November of that same year, the team improved on that record, clocking a 164-day turnaround.
The V-22 Joint Program Office (PMA-275) held a change of command ceremony April 29 where Col. Brian Taylor relieved Col. Matthew Kelly as the program manager.
Maj. Gen. Greg Masiello, program executive officer for Air Anti-Submarine Warfare, Assault & Special Mission Programs, presided over the ceremony.
The V-22 Osprey surpassed the 600,000 flight hour milestone in February, a count beginning with first flight in 1989.
The milestone is attributed to the Air Force Special Operations Forces, Marine Corps and Navy squadrons flying and maintaining an inventory of more than 400 aircraft in fleet operations, training and flight test around the world.
Following a string of success in reducing maintenance, repair and overhaul turnaround times on V-22 Osprey aircraft, Fleet Readiness Center East has set its sights on improving turnaround times for the H-53 heavy lift helicopter.
Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. David H. Berger and Sgt. Maj. of the Marine Corps Troy E. Black visited Fleet Readiness Center East March 15 to receive updates regarding the support FRCE provides to Marine Corps aviation and the facility’s current status of operations.
Berger and Black toured the facility with FRCE Commanding Officer Capt. Mark E. Nieto and Executive Director Mark Meno. The itinerary focused on the V-22 Osprey, F-35 Lightning II and future plans for F-35 maintenance and capabilities at FRCE.
Every field of effort has a standard to beat. Track and field had the four-minute mile. For baseball, the bar is 762 career home runs. For the V-22 Osprey production line at Fleet Readiness Center East, there was the 300-day turnaround time for returning the aircraft to their fleet customers.
On January 15, the V-22 line broke that elusive 300-day mark when the team returned its most recently completed aircraft in 297 days, far below the negotiated standard of 420 days.
The Naval Air Systems Command awarded Bell Boeing an $81 million contract to develop, design and install nacelle modification kits and install conversion area harnesses on the CV-22 Osprey, the Air Force Special Operations Command’s (AFSOC) variant of the tiltrotor aircraft.
Japanese Self-Defense Forces began V-22 flight operations at Kisarazu Air Field Nov.6, marking the first international partner to fly the U.S. military aircraft.
“The JGSDF [Japan Ground Self Defense Force] is taking a big step toward integrating the V-22’s unique capabilities into its mission,” said Col. Matthew Kelly, program manager for the V-22 Joint Program Office (PMA-275). “Beginning with Japan’s selection of the V-22 in 2015, it has been an honor working with our international ally and partner to make this program a reality.”
Artisans at Fleet Readiness Center East can now move V-22 fuel bladders more safely and efficiently thanks to a new sling developed in partnership with private industry.
FRCE received the first V-22 sponson fuel bladder sling assembly – also known as a “dog bone” – in late summer. The new sling, first used in FRCE’s clean and blast shop, allows aircraft maintenance professionals to securely lift the flexible fuel bladders designed to fit in a V-22 Osprey’s sponsons, which are projections from the side of the aircraft that hold the fuel cells and landing gear.
New test equipment at Fleet Readiness Center East has positioned the facility to help alleviate one of the top degraders to V-22 Osprey readiness.
The new test stand, which checks the functionality of the V-22 swashplate actuator, cuts testing time in half to produce “ready for issue” components for the supply chain. The swashplate actuator is a flight-critical control that guides the aircraft’s rotors; with the component’s presence on the V-22 degrader list, every day it is in process counts.
