Last NC CH-46 squadron soon to have Ospreys

[unhappycamper]

Good day to Sea Knights
HMM-264 last NC squadron to transition to Ospreys


Last NC CH-46 squadron soon to have Ospreys
Staff report
Posted : Wednesday Mar 18, 2009 14:17:12 EDT

JACKSONVILLE, N.C. — It’s the beginning of the end for East Coast-based CH-46 Sea Knights.

When Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 264 returns to North Carolina with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit in the coming weeks, it will be the last time a CH-46 squadron based on the East Coast will deploy with a MEU.

“We’ve reached a milestone,” said Lt. Col. Mike Snyder, commanding officer of the MEU’s aviation combat element.

HMM-264 will be the sixth and final CH-46 squadron to transition to the MV-22 Osprey at Marine Corps Air Station New River becoming VMM-264. The transition will occur by the end of October, said Maj. Eric Dent, a Marine spokesman at Marine Corps headquarters.

New River currently has an Osprey training squadron and three operational tiltrotor squadrons. Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 365 recently stood up and VMM-261 is in its final transition phase, Dent said.


Rest of article about the $68 million dollar Ospreys at: http://marinecorpstimes.com/news/2009/03/marine_ch46s_031809w/%2e