by Craig Hooper on July 23, 2010
According to this DOD Buzz article, Lt. General George J. Trautman III voiced his frustration that MV-22 Osprey readiness rates in Afghanistan had topped out at “roughly 70 percent.” Glad to see Trautman get frustrated. As a taxpayer, I am too. I expect better performance from brand-new aircraft. According to the DOD Buzz piece, Trautman [...]
by Craig Hooper on May 31, 2010
I’ll post more on the unfortunate MV-22 NY Fleet Week accident (downdraft from an incoming Osprey blew down tree limbs that, in turn, wounded spectators–the videos here are great) in a bit, but I just wanted to remind people that the strong MV-22 downdraft is an important limitation–and, as such, it leads to operational issues [...]
by Craig Hooper on February 21, 2010
The V-22 Osprey program has a magical ability to generate “good news” just as “bad news” breaks. This PR gamesmanship has happened before. Back in 2007, just hours after the MV-22 Osprey flubbed it’s arrival into Iraq, a CV-22 was sent out for a domestic SAR. (Here are some details) This week, an MV-22 Osprey [...]
by Craig Hooper on January 3, 2010
Can the MV-22 Osprey help at home? Read my latest piece over at the North Country Times/The Californian. Some lessons here: First, where’s the utility? Notice how the Marine Corps has been trying to change the program narrative? By saying that the MV-22 should no longer be considered a replacement for CH-46 helicopters–but approached as an entirely different kind of platform? In [...]