Basing plan chosen for West Coast Ospreys

[unhappycamper]

A report published earlier this month says the Marine Corps wants to base eight MV-22 Osprey squadrons at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar and two others at nearby Camp Pendleton.


Basing plan chosen for West Coast Ospreys
By Gidget Fuentes - Staff writer
Posted : Saturday Oct 31, 2009 13:05:03 EDT

OCEANSIDE, Calif. — The Marine Corps wants to base eight MV-22 Osprey squadrons at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego and two others at nearby Camp Pendleton.

That’s the preferred scenario outlined in the service’s final environmental impact statement, which lays out detailed plans for the tilt-rotor aircraft’s arrival on the West Coast as older transport helicopters are phased out starting next year. The report was published in October. When a public comment period ends Nov. 16, the Navy Department will make its decision official.

Across the Corps, aging CH-46E Sea Knights are giving way to the Osprey, which can fly farther and faster than the venerable Vietnam-era Phrogs. Currently the Corps has six active MV-22 squadrons, including a training squadron, all based at MCAS New River, N.C. By the time its transition is complete, around 2020, the Corps expects to have 18 active-duty squadrons, four Reserve squadrons and the one training unit — all spread between North Carolina, California, Hawaii, Japan and Guam.

The first MV-22s based on the West Coast are expected to land at Miramar, where in early October officials redesignated Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 161 — nicknamed the Greyhawks — Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 161.

Under the preferred scenario, Miramar would see a gain of 746 military personnel and 48 aircraft. Pendleton would lose 257 and 18, respectively.


Rest of article at: http://marinecorpstimes.com/news/2009/10/marine_osprey_103109w/