The one of the first V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft of Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) was spotted in flight near Bell Helicopter Amarillo Assembly Center, Texas.
The Japanese V-22 Osprey was spotted during series of flight trials. The aircraft will perform testing of the avionics systems, onboard equipment and other.
The JGSDF will receive the V-22B Block C variant, the same in service with the U.S. Marine Corps as MV-22. The Block C Ospreys; these aircraft feature a new radar, along with additional mission management and electronic warfare equipment.
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A number of V-22s will be stationed aboard the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s new 19,5000-ton helicopter carrier Izumo. Japan’s Ministry of Defense also announced its intention to deploy some V-22s in the East China Sea. The purchase of V-22 tilt-rotor aircraft is part of a larger push of the JSDF to improve its amphibious and naval warfare capabilities.
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The Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey is an American multi-mission, tiltrotor military aircraft with both vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL), and short takeoff and landing (STOL) capabilities. It is designed to combine the functionality of a conventional helicopter with the long-range, high-speed cruise performance of a turboprop aircraft.