CRYSTAL CITY, Va., June 07, 1996 -- The V-22 Osprey program has entered the production phase. A $1.385 billion Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) contract was signed between the Bell Boeing Tiltrotor Team and the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR).
The LRIP contract immediately provides $44.1 million funding for long-lead component procurement for the first lot of four aircraft. It also provides for the manufacturing of the first lot, which is scheduled to begin in early 1997. Initial deliveries to the U.S. Marine Corps will start in 1999. Additionally, the contract includes priced options for production of two follow-on lots of five and seven aircraft, respectively.
"This agreement is the culmination of several important program initiatives and process improvements," said Stuart D. Dodge, Bell Boeing Joint Program director. "Thanks to our Integrated Product Team management structure, digital pre-assembly, and advanced technology manufacturing and assembly techniques, we have reduced the average unit recurring cost of our production Ospreys by more than 20 percent, and these aircraft will weigh nearly 3,000 pounds less than our full-scale development program prototypes."
This first production contract initiates the procurement program for 523 V-22s for the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Special Operations Command and the Navy to perform combat assault, special operations, search and rescue and combat support missions. The first LRIP V-22s will join the Marine Corps training squadron in 1999.
The Bell Boeing Tiltrotor Team comprises Bell Helicopter Textron of Fort Worth, Texas, a wholly owned subsidiary of Textron, Inc., and Boeing Defense & Space Group, Helicopters Division, a unit of The Boeing Company.