“Acid Test” for the Osprey in Afghanistan
Just a few years ago there were serious questions whether the V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor heliplane was simply too unforgiving the fly in combat. But the V-22s proved their worth in dust of Iraq, and now they will get a real test in the thin mountain air of Afghanistan.
My colleague Rick Whittle is writing a book on the Osprey [The Dream Machine, the Untold History of the Notorious V-22 Osprey], and points out this announcement in the latest troop rotation release from the Pentagon:
“Additionally, the secretary of defense approved a request by the commander of U.S. Forces-Afghanistan to deploy a squadron of MV-22 Ospreys from Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron-261, Jacksonville, N.C., to support the needs of forces on the ground in Regional Command-South. This deployment will involve approximately 200 Marines, who will begin deploying in November 2009.”
Here’s Rick’s take:
“This is the first deployment to Afghanistan — and it should be the acid test, given the terrain and climate and the fact that Al Qaeda and the Taliban will surely be gunning for the aircraft if they see it. The Osprey didn’t get shot at much in Iraq because it was flying mainly in Anbar province, which was pretty peaceful at that time. It flew well in Iraq, even in searing heat, but most of that country is barely above sea level. Rotorcraft lose performance at higher altitudes and in hot temperatures, and Afghanistan is pretty high and hot.
According to information on the Internet, most of Afghanistan is at least 6,500 feet above sea level, and even mountain passes are in the 12,000 to 14,000 foot range. Some peaks top 20,000 feet. The GAO said in a recent report that the Osprey can’t operate as a helicopter above 10,000 feet. I’ve talked to pilots who dispute that, but there’s no question the altitude and heat will limit the V-22’s performance in helicopter mode, as altitude and heat do for all helicopters. The problem may be worse for the V-22 because of its “proprotors,” which are a hybrid between a helicopter rotor and an airplane propeller. They have a special twist to make them work as propellers, but that reduces their efficiency as rotors.
That doesn’t mean the Osprey won’t do well over there. The Marines haven’t said exactly how they’ll use it, but the Osprey’s speed and range will let them move troops and supplies a lot faster and farther than they can with helicopters, and Afghanistan is a big country. The Osprey could also save lives on medevac missions by getting wounded to treatment faster. For that matter, it could save lives just by cruising in airplane mode at about 275 mph and 8,000 feet or more above ground level, which it can do. I’m told that’s well above most of the threat there.”
Tags: Aghanistan, Deployment, Osprey, V-22
