Future of US Marine Corps SAR

[ospreydriver]

When will we see an Osprey replace the Cherry Point Pedro 46?

It would seem a perfect job for such an aircraft.....fast, long range, about the same avionics for SAR duties and all or does the 46 fly too much too often?

Not for a long, long, time. I wouldn't be surprised if the USMC ditches the station SAR mission altogether someday fairly soon--it's already given it up at MCAS Beaufort and in Japan. They did replace the CH-46Ds that were wearing out with CH-46Es that were replaced in fleet service by V-22s. The V-22 still has to fill units on the West Coast, Japan, and the reserves. I don't think the V-22 would make sense money wise for what's usually a short-range job. The SAR they do is pretty close to the coast in the warning areas and two tiny bombing ranges near NKT.