The U.S. Marine Corps and its industry partners marked the completion of the MV-22B Osprey Program of Record on July 28, 2026, with the delivery of the 359th aircraft. This milestone shifts the Marine Corps' focus from fielding the aircraft to sustaining and modernizing the fleet for decades to come.

Developed to bridge the gap between rotary-wing and fixed-wing capabilities, the MV-22B combines the vertical takeoff and landing of a helicopter with the speed and range of a fixed-wing airplane. This configuration allows the Marine Corps to transport personnel and cargo faster and farther than legacy platforms, operating from both amphibious ships and austere shore sites. Marine Expeditionary Unit-based MV-22Bs can extend the aircraft’s operational reach to almost any location around the globe.

"The MV-22B didn't just join our fleet; it fundamentally changed the way the Marine Air-Ground Task Force generates combat power," said Lt. Gen. William Swan, Deputy Commandant for Aviation. "It provides commanders with decision space that only speed and reach can provide, connecting ships, bases and distributed forces in ways previous generations could only imagine. Today, Marine commanders build operations around the assumption that the MV-22B will be there."

Since reaching initial operational capability in 2007, the Marine Corps MV-22B fleet has flown more than 686,500 hours across 114 operational deployments. This versatile platform supports combat operations, contested logistics, medical evacuations and humanitarian assistance from forward-deployed locations across the globe. Today, the Osprey sources 75 percent of all Marine Corps rotary-wing assault support. This unmatched operational tempo underscores the success of the joint acquisition program as it reaches its final delivery.

“Completing the MV-22B Program of Record is a significant milestone,” said Col. Robert Hurst, V-22 Joint Program Office Program Manager. “The V-22 Osprey sets the United States apart from every other military on the planet with the operational employment of tilt-rotor technology. The delivery of the MV-22B has extended the reach and lethality of the United States Marine Air-Ground Task Force for 20 years, and it will continue to be a game-changer on the battlespace. We remain focused on efforts to enhance fleet readiness, capability and modernization of the MV-22B Osprey, the backbone of the Marine Corps for decades to come.”

With the final delivery, the Marine Corps is executing a long-term modernization strategy to keep the MV-22B operational through 2055. Current initiatives are focused on improving nacelle wiring to reduce maintenance hours, pursuing improved prop-rotor gear boxes with triple-melted, refined steel components, standardizing aircraft configurations across the fleet and redesigning key components to enhance safety and make the aircraft more sustainable. "We cannot assume that because the MV-22B transformed Marine aviation once, its evolution is complete," said Swan. "It is our responsibility to carry this legacy forward and ensure this aircraft remains ready, relevant, safe and lethal for the fight ahead."

For additional information, contact Communication Directorate at ontherecord@usmc.mil.

-30-