Air Force Special Operations Command’s first operational CV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft is scheduled for delivery to Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M, March 20 at 12:30 p.m.
Lt. Gen. Michael W. Wooley, AFSOC commander, will personally deliver this aircraft from the test wing at Edwards AFB, Calif., to Kirtland.
This aircraft will be the first of four CV-22’s scheduled for basing at the 58th Special Operations Wing at Kirtland this year. The 58th SOW provides advanced training to Air Force special operations pilots and aircrews.
The CV-22 was not only designed to replace existing aircraft, but to provide special operations warriors a new capability to perform the missions of both airplane and helicopter. No other military aircraft in the world possesses these capabilities.
Procurement plans call for a total of 50 Ospreys to be delivered to AFSOC by 2017. The first combat squadron is scheduled to be operational at Hurlburt by 2009.
