Battaan sailors break ground with experimental aircraft

United States Marine Corps ^ | 12 June 2005 | Seaman Joanne De Vera

[A.A. Cunningham]

Battaan sailors break ground with experimental aircraft
Story Identification #: 20056207230
Story by - Seaman Joanne De Vera

ATLANTIC OCEAN (June 12, 2005) -- USS Bataan (LHD 5) took on eight of the experimental MV-22 Ospreys and two AV-8B Harriers for training and testing while steaming in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of North Carolina this week.

For this final operational test phase, Bataan has the largest number of Ospreys on any ship at one time. Along with the aircraft, 185 Marines, including Marine Tiltrotor Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron Twenty-Two (VMX-22) personnel, representatives from Boeing and Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) have joined the crew of Bataan.

The greatest benefit from the testing will be the experience future generations will have to learn from, said Marine Corps Maj. Anthony Bianca, Director of Standardization and Safety for VMX-22. “Before there are V-22 squadrons, we’ve got to look at them in an experimental and test environment and learn things so that we can pass them on and when the fleet does have the squadrons, the experience will be extremely helpful. We’re also helping to spread knowledge about the V-22’s.”

The MV-22 is an advanced technology, vertical/short takeoff and landing (VSTOL) multi-purpose tactical aircraft. It will replace the CH-46E Sea Knight and CH-53D Sea Stallion aircraft currently in service. What makes the V-22 unique is the 38-foot prop-rotor system and engine/transmission nacelle, the chamber that holds the engine, mounted on each wingtip, allowing it to operate as a helicopter for takeoff and landing. Once airborne, the nacelles rotate forward 90 degrees, turning the aircraft into a high-speed, high-altitude and fuel-efficient aircraft.

The testing for the experimental aircraft has just as many benefits for Bataan as it does for the Marine Corps.

“We’re the first big deck to have this many Ospreys, and we’re incorporating them with the different Navy and Marine aircraft,” said Capt. Nora W. Tyson, Bataan’s Commanding Officer. “We have MH-53 Sea Dragons, AH-1 Super Cobras, Harriers and HH-60 Seahawks onboard in addition to the Osprey. It’s the first time they’ve been incorporated together in movement on the flight deck, and the first time they’ve flown together. We’re the first ones to get the experience and it’s great for the crew.”

The V-22 is breaking ground not only for Bataan, but also for all amphibious assault ships.

“The V-22 is replacing two types of aircraft and is the future for the Gator Navy,” said Tyson. “Everybody is going to learn from our experience and from our lessons learned - how we moved this aircraft, what worked and what didn’t work. This is going to benefit everybody. This is the beginning.”

Bataan’s Air Department had a few challenges working with the new aircraft, but took it with a grain of salt and got the job done.

“It’s a different air frame, it fuels differently and it’s basically, a different animal on the flight deck,” said Tyson. “The crew has responded unbelievably, just like they always do.”
“We’ve all come together to get the job done,” said Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 3rd Class (AW/SW) Michael Waldrop of Bataan’s V-1 Division. “The divisions self-maintain when we’re in port, but as soon as we get out to sea, we all work as one team. The Handlers can’t do their job without the Fuelies (Aviation Boatswain’s Mate, Fuels) and vice versa. We all need each other, so we all help each other out.”

“The crew handled everything very professionally,” said Tyson. “They’ve successfully integrated the aircraft with the Landing Signals (Enlisted), the chocks and chains, Fuelies, Air Boss and his crew in Flight Deck Control and the air traffic controllers in the Helicopter Direction Center and I couldn’t be prouder.”

[A.A. Cunningham]

Photo by PHAN Pedro Rodriguez

A MV-22 Osprey takes off from the flight deck aboard the amphibious assault ship
USS Bataan (LHD 5). Bataan is currently at sea conducting operational testing of the
Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft.

USS Bataan LHD-5

[wingsof liberty]

Godspeed. I hope all the earlier problems the Osprey had have been corrected.

[68skylark]

I hope all the earlier problems the Osprey had have been corrected.

I'm with you. If the problems have been worked out, it's going to be a great addition to our military.

[andyk]

That's a few Ospreys!

[JustRight]

Can't meet original payload requirements, can't accomplish rapid descent, too heavy, not able to defend itself, not able to lay covering fire in the LZ because the door is in the back, too fast for Cobras to keep up, not resistant to medium caliber weapons as spec'd, etc. , etc.............

[TalonDJ]

Can't meet original payload requirements,
-Lots of aircraft don't meet the original spec
can't accomplish rapid descent
-Helos often have that same issue. It can descend rapidly in 'aircraft mode'
too heavy
-Again, most systems end up with some degree of this problem
not able to defend itself
-Fixable
not able to lay covering fire in the LZ because the door is in the back,
-add doors to the sides or a turret on the bottom
too fast for Cobras to keep up
-Launch cobras first
not resistant to medium caliber weapons as spec'd
-Fixable


I agree it has a large pile of flaws. But it is needed in the field yesterday. It is time we get them out there and start planing what will replace it someday (hopefully sooner than later).

[FreeInWV]

I still say they should lop off those props and replace then with some A-10 engines. It outta be feasible, and it would make for one rugged and scary aircraft. Kinda like the dropships in that Aliens movie. Just imagine that hovering down main street Baghdad.

[Tribune7]

ping

[Tacis]

The Bataan will stay in relatively shallow waters to make it easier to recover the crashed Ospreys from the bottom.

But, heres my bet. Within six months some senior officers on this assignment, maybe even the ship's captain, will be charged with falsifying operational data on the Osprey. The deaths and injuries on this cruise may be covered up as a "matter of national security."

[JustRight]

The problem is these are just the tip of the iceberg. They are talking about a nose turret with a 60 degree forward field of view and having the CP operate the gun from his knees during descent. Flight rules won't allow the aircraft to rotate during descent to engage targets. Rapid descent in helo mode results in stall and flipping over. 17 marines instead of 24. Can't fire from the sides because of the large engine nacelles in the way. Loss of power means death for all aboard in helo mode, no autrotation. They have to remove the refueling probe to put them below decks on the ships. They are so heavy and wide they can't carry the desired complement on an LHA. In-flight refueling hasn't been worked out yet because they don't fly well in turbulance. Since the rotors are so much smaller than a helo's, they have to move the air much faster to get the same lift. Guess what happens when you try to land in dusty conditions? All of these problems that need fixing might be acceptable if the aircraft were in prototype stage, but it's in production.
When Cheney canceled them the first time, we could have started then and developed a new chopper that would have met the Osprey's mission requirements and had it deployed already. The marines are backed into a corner for want of a substitute now, but many young men will die in this beast.

[A.A. Cunningham]

Bulls***

[TalonDJ]

I agree the flaws are many and rather disgusting. The problem is the tilt-roter concept is not mature enough for combat. I think it could be made workable but this program has done so much wrong it would just be putting band-aids on a shotgun wound. Many of the problems DO have sound work arounds. Such as the shaft that transfers power between engine in case one fails. One bright point is that it has very good engines. They are the next generation of the kinds C-130s have been flying for ages. They can carry a lot and do it quickly. I predict the marines using them in ways that keep them as far from shooting as possible. Your right that we could have developed something else. We still should get an next generation helo on the boards as fast as possible. In the mean time we can still get good use out of the V-22 if we don't let bullets fly too near it. Use it as a smaller more versatile cargo plane and not as a combat helicopter

[A.A. Cunningham]

[TalonDJ]

Care to eleborate? I agree some of those problems are not the end of the world but they do exist.

[JustRight]

I would suggest you look into it. Search for "Vortex Ring State" I presume you work for The Corp or Bell/Boeing to have more knowledge about it than I do.

[JustRight]

The positive aspect is that the whole process has motivated much improvement in the Pentagon's large scale procurement program and the whole DOD Systems Engineering process. Reviews are more extensive and more frequently required. Recent fighter aircraft procurements and major upgrades have been much smoother and cheaper, most likely as a direct result of having the example of the V-22 fresh in everyone's minds. The V-22 was clearly an R&D type procurement that was treated as if it was an application of a mature technology. The risks are so high on R&D projects that great efforts have to be taken to avoid them, or at least be ready to backtrack.

The killer is the mission of these aircraft is probably more important now than it was at the inception of the program.

An interesting aside is that a big impetus for the development of a new MC troop and equipment transport was the failed attempt to rescue the hostages held in Iran. Much of the problem was the need to refuel the choppers. MC asked for a new helicopter, but was pitched and sold on the tilt-rotor.

[Hoplite]

Battaan sailors break ground with experimental aircraft?

Folks have been trying to break ground with aircraft ever since the Wright brothers slipped the surly bonds of gravity, though it's usually been the case that the ground breaks the aircraft.

[MARK4]

Notice he didn't elaborate. The House Armed Services Committee did a major investigation, and called it dangerous. It is a flawed system, and needs a LOT of work.

[hosepipe]

"Osprey.."- something wrong with that thing..
It just looks like Barney Fife invented it..
or some other character from Mayberry U.S.A...

Maybe, the advice to use A-10 engines instead of props..
Its needs something.. the designer must be a democrat..