Free Republic

WASHINGTON -- The first combat squadron of tilt-rotor V-22 Ospreys has been quietly deployed to Iraq, ushering a new form of aerial technology into 21st Century warfare. A Marine Corps aviation squadron and 10 Ospreys left for Iraq on Monday aboard the U.S.S. Wasp, a small Navy aircraft carrier known as an amphibious assault ship, said Marine Corps spokesman Maj. Eric Dent. The departure from the Marine Air Station at New River, N.C., was made under extremely tight security with no advance notice to the media and no ceremonial speeches by Marine Corps officials. "It was just another workday for...

Problems with titanium hydraulic lines have plagued the innovative aircraft for yearsTen months after resuming a round of critical flight tests, the Navy grounded its fleet of V-22 Ospreys on Thursday because of problems with the aircraft's hydraulic lines. Osprey program officials said Thursday that the newest problem results from a bad batch of titanium tubing from a supplier that will be cut from the program. "We've flagged a crappy supplier," said Ward Carroll, the V-22 program spokesman. "We remain bullish on the hydraulic system." The five Ospreys being used in flight tests will be down at least two weeks...