The U.S. Air Force has announced that Air commandos with the 801st Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron accept delivery of a new Osprey aircraft at Hurlburt Field, Florida, Jun. 2, 2020.
The 801st SOAMXS received new CV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, an Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) variant of the U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey.
The statement noted the 801st SOAMXS keeps Ospreys ready to execute infiltration, exfiltration and resupply missions worldwide. The CV-22B’s mission is to conduct long-range infiltration, exfiltration and resupply missions for special operations forces.
Like the Navy configuration of Osprey, the CV-22 is a tiltrotor aircraft that combines the vertical takeoff, hover, and vertical landing qualities of a helicopter with the long-range, fuel efficiency and speed characteristics of a turboprop aircraft. Those capabilities give this versatile, self-deployable aircraft the capability to conduct missions that would normally require both fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft.
The CV-22B is equipped with integrated threat countermeasures, terrain-following radar, forward-looking infrared sensor, and other advanced avionics systems that allow it to operate at low altitude in adverse weather conditions and medium- to high-threat environments.
