Did I mention the HOGE number for the V-22 is 5400 feet?
The last Chinook shot down in Afghanistan was at 10,000 feet or so....where is the CSAR mission now?
80 Million bucks a pop and climbing for this piece of crap.
It is a great concept....the 609 might be useful for long offshore flights but the 22 is too expensive and cannot do the missions that the Sea Stallion and the Chinook can.
Maybe the Marines might get their heads out of their butts and buy Chinooks or Sea Stallions.....they could get a pot full of them for the same amount of money.
Self protection.....50 cals....at a hover....spell R-P-G? Think Blackhawk Down in Moga....think Chinook down in Afghanistan...
The bright side of this....by buying the 22....the Marines can justify keeping the Harrier....which has proven to be a very expensive CAS aircraft in its own right.
Airplanes and helicopters are just two different concepts that cannot be made into one and do well at both.