The Navy reported that its first CMV-22B Osprey tiltrotor for supplying aircraft carriers at sea arrived at Naval Air Station North Island on Sunday.
The aircraft is assigned to the “Titans” of Fleet Logistics Multi-Mission Squadron 30, the Navy’s first CMV-22B squadron. VRM-30 was established in 2018 to begin the Navy’s transition from the aging C-2A Greyhound to the new Osprey.
The Osprey is a tiltrotor aircraft that is capable of vertical take-off and landing, but operates similar to a turboprop aircraft in flight. It has a range of 1,200 miles and a top speed of over 300 mph.
“Today marks our birthday as a squadron,” said Cmdr. Trevor Hermann, VRM-30’s commanding officer. “We have relied on our Marine Corps brothers and sisters to help us in our training. Today our efforts are tangible, as you can see with the landing of our first aircraft.”
For the last four decades, the C-2A Greyhound has been providing logistical support to aircraft carriers throughout the Navy. However, the Osprey has a longer range and faster cargo loading and unloading. The Navy’s aircraft is a variant of of the Marine Corps’ Osprey, which has been in use for over a decade.
“We are carrier on-board delivery, we are naval aviation and we carry the fleet,” said Hermann.
The Navy plans to buy 44 of the Boeing-built Ospreys for support missions.