Osprey Production Approved

The Pentagon yesterday approved full-rate production of the V-22 Osprey, the prop airplane that takes off and lands like a helicopter.

The Marine Corps loves the Osprey, despite its deadly testing history that has killed 23 Marines since 2000. Why? The Osprey can operate in situations normally only possibly with a helicopter, but flies twice as fast as a military chopper can.

The Osprey is a joint venture of Boeing Co. and Textron Inc.’s Bell Helicopter unit. Current plans include the delivery of 360 Ospreys to the Marines, 50 to the U.S. Air Force and 48 to the Navy.