Ospreys can take off from anywhere. Ospreys can land anywhere. Ospreys can transport troops and cargo at high speed. Ospreys can operate at high altitudes, seas, and deserts. Ospreys are capable of mid air refueling. Ospreys have got long range.
Large concentrated troops on the ground are always sitting ducks. So, Ospreys are used to move troops in a dispersed manner through the air.
The top speed of Osprey is considerably higher compared to a traditional helicopter with equivalent capacity. Osprey’s top speed is similar to that of transport jets. So, an Osprey operates like a helicopter during take-off/landing and like a transport jet while cruising. Osprey’s speed will be a valuable asset in an intense war situation demanding faster deployment of troops and artillery.
Ospreys are capable of short take-off and landing during fixed-wing flight. This is advantageous in situations where there is not an adequate landing strip.
Ospreys can be armed with a remotely operated gun turret system developed by BAE along with conventional M240 machine gun and M2 machine gun.
Ospreys have the capability to refuel other jets boosting their range. This is particularly useful for jets operating from aircraft carriers.
Due to higher speed, Ospreys are much more suitable for disaster relief operations and ground troop evacuations as compared to traditional helicopters.
Ospreys are capable of high-altitude, high-speed flight in the airplane mode. That makes the Ospreys a safer option against man-portable air-defense systems and small arms fire compared to traditional helicopters.
Osprey’s wings can fold. So, Ospreys can be very easily stored in an Aircraft Carrier or Assault ship.
Osprey’s have got air-to-air refueling capacity with 16 fuel tanks, 10 integrated in the wings and 6 in the fuselage. That makes the Ospreys self-deployable with long range. In May 2015, self-deployed Ospreys flew from Okinawa, Japan to Nepal covering a distance of 2,500 miles to help in the earthquake recovery efforts.
Ospreys are capable of missions that require both fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft. By acquiring Ospreys, Indian Army can have fixed-wing capability along with the existing rotary-wing capability. This is helpful in situations that demand quick air support. In the past, small border patrol units have come under surprise attack from a larger enemy. Air support was not prompt in those situations. Ospreys will help Indian Army to bridge that tactical gap.
Ospreys are equiped with “Terrain Following Radar”. So, Ospreys can fly low and maintain constant altitude above ground even during adverse weather conditions. That makes it difficult for enemy radars to detect the Ospreys. Ospreys can rescue, insert or extract special forces troops behind enemy lines.
Ospreys can carry up to 32 floor loaded troops or up to 20000 pounds of internal cargo or up to 12500 pounds of external cargo on the dual hook. Ospreys are powered by two Rolls-Royce AE1107C-Liberty engines that deliver 6150 hp each. The maximum cruise speed of Ospreys is 500 km/hr. Ospreys have got a mission radius of 500 nm. The self-deployment range is 2,100 nm. The service ceiling is 25,000 feet. The maximum vertical take-off weight is 52,600 pounds. Positive pressure filtered air system protects the glass cockpit from nuclear, biological, and chemical warfare. The cockpit has got six screens. The screens are compatible with night vision goggles. Maximum fuel capacity is 2025 US gallons. The unit cost of Ospreys is around $70 million as of 2015.
The first Osprey entered service in 1999. As of October, 2019, 375 Ospreys are in service and have already logged 500,000 flight hours. United States Marine Corps is the primary operator of the Ospreys. The US Marine variant is named as MV-22 Osprey. The US Air Force version is named as CV-22 Osprey. The US Navy variant is named as CMV-22 Osprey. Osprey is also a part of US Presidential squadron. On December 12, 2018, First Lady Melania Trump made history by flying in a V-22 Osprey while on a visit to a pair of military bases.