Concerning readiness the V-22 is is at the same point on the curve as any other platform in USMC when at 50,000 hours.
In Iraq all the other platforms EXCEPT the V-22 have depot level maintenance available at Al Asad. This reduces the number of aircraft that those squadrons have on reporting status while the V-22 squadron is always accountable for reporting 12. What does this mean? In a 46, 53 or H-1 squadron I take all the parts I need off of the aircraft that's about to go depot and put all my bad parts on it, and it doesn't count against me. In the V-22 squadron you're are stuck with the hangar queen. And yes, every platform has at least one hangar queen. From what I've read and heard concerning maintenance in Iraq you could replace "V-22" with H-1, or CH-53E or CH-46E and it be a true statement.
As far as the links to Carltons BS it's more than apparent that Carlton knows nothing about aviation much less USMC aviation operations. He subtly tries to insinuate that there is some sinister reason that the V-22's are not self deploying back to the states. There is, it's called logistics. Do you tie up the entire USMC East coast C-130 assets to refuel the V-22's or do you put the aircraft on a boat that's already in the Gulf to bring back other assets? The C-130's have higher tasking right now.
Maintenance below deck. Yup, he's absolutely right. Never ever do Marines do maintenance above deck.
Carlton says "Performing maintenance on a ladder is dangerous on rocking ship, so another maintainer must hold the ladder, effectively doubling the manpower required for each task."
I guess ships don't rock below deck? They must not since I've seen Marines using ladders to do maintenance on 53's and 46's. Hmm. Interesting bit of physics.
All those ladders I saw being used on 53's and 46's, engine cowlings open, oil cans and spouts, drain tubs, tool boxes, etc must have been being used for some reason other than maintenance. Did I mention that I saw that stuff while I was on short final to spot 2? The fact is all the things that Carlton thinks make the V-22 unsuitable for shipboard ops, if applied across the board to all other platforms, would make all aircraft unsuitable for shipboard ops.
Let's see, I've been a Marine aviator, deployed on multiple MEU SOC's, been a MEU SOC evaluator, and deployed to Iraq. But what do I know. We should all listen to Carlton who was an intel officer, probably never touched the controls of an aircraft, worked aircraft maintenance issues, dealt with the deck cycle or actually planned and conducted real aviation combat op. After all, those of us who've served know we can ALWAYS trust intel because it's NEVER wrong.