US Marine Corps takes delivery of final MV-22B Osprey, ending production at 359 units

Published Jul 28, 08:59 PM UTC

The U.S. Marine Corps received its last MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, closing the production run at 359 units. First operational in 2007, the Osprey has become the backbone of Marine combat air assault, replacing the CH-46 and enabling unique vertical takeoff and landing with fixed-wing speed and range. The fleet has flown over 686,500 hours across 114 deployments and currently provides 75% of Marine rotary-wing assault support. However, the program has been marred by safety concerns, with 65 fatalities in V-22 mishaps as of July 2025, including a 2023 crash that led to a three-month grounding. The Marine Corps plans to sustain the Osprey through 2055 via wiring upgrades, improved gearboxes, and component redesigns, while simultaneously developing a replacement called the Next Generation Assault Support (NGAS) aircraft.