THE V-22 OPSREY HAS COME OF AGE AFTER A 12 YEAR DEVELOPMENT AND TESTING TO PROVE THE CAPABILITY–THE NAVY JOINS IN TO ACQUIRE ITS V-22 (44), ALONG WITH UASF CV-22 (50), AND THE MARINES FIRST TO DEPLOY THE MV-22 (360)–REPLACING THE VIETNAM ERA CARGO AIRCRAFT AIRLIFT FLEET WITH SURPASS MISSION IN SPEED AND DISTANCE FROM THE COPTER TO PLANE AIRCRAFT

The Navy says it plans to obtain its own fleet of 44 V-22 Ospreys, taking possession of eight a year starting in 2020.

The decision to replace the aging fleet of C-2A Greyhound cargo aircraft with the tilt-rotor hybrid was made in an internal working document drafted earlier this year that laid the groundwork for funding, Navy spokesman Lt. Robert Myers wrote in a statement to Stars and Stripes.

The Navy V-22 Joint Program Office expects to issue a contract for development of a Navy variant in fiscal 2016 with production beginning in fiscal 2018.

Operating as a basic transport aircraft, the Navy variant will be virtually the same as the Marine Corps MV-22, but will add an extended-range fuel system, high-frequency radio and public-address system, Myers said.

http://www.military.com/daily-news/2015/03/25/navy-planning-to-get-its-own-v22-osprey-fleet.html