US Marine Corps receives final MV-22B Osprey, begins fleet modernization
The U.S. Marine Corps took delivery of its 359th and final MV‑22B Osprey on 28 July 2026 at Bell Helicopter’s Amarillo, Texas plant, completing the MV‑22B program of record. The delivery brings the Marine Corps fleet to 359 aircraft, while the U.S. Air Force and Navy operate 56 and 53 Ospreys respectively, for a total of about 468 across the services.
Since reaching initial operational capability in 2007, the Osprey fleet has accumulated more than 686,500 flight hours in 114 operational deployments and now provides roughly 75 % of the Marine Corps’ rotary‑wing assault‑support capability. Recent safety concerns, including four fatal crashes since 2022 that killed 20 service members and a 2023 crash off Japan that grounded the fleet for three months, have shifted focus to sustainment.
The Marine Corps is now prioritizing a modernization effort to keep the aircraft operational through 2055, with upgrades such as improved nacelle wiring, standardized aircraft configurations, and triple‑melt steel pro‑protor gearboxes. The production line is slated to close in 2028 after the Navy receives its final CMV‑22, and attention is turning to the Next‑Generation Assault Support (NGAS) program as the Osprey’s successor.
Entities: Bell Helicopter · Lt. Gen. William Swan · MV-22B Osprey · Next Generation Assault Support (NGAS) program · Next‑Generation Assault Support (NGAS) program · U.S. Marine Corps · United States Marine Corps · United States Navy
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 6 SOURCES] The total number of Osprey aircraft across US services is about 468 (359 Marine, 56 Air Force, 53 Navy). (d3a50897-72c1-44f4-b9bd-2d45af19b5df)
- [● 6 SOURCES] The US Marine Corps received its final MV-22B Osprey, the 359th delivered to the Corps. (d3a50897-72c1-44f4-b9bd-2d45af19b5df, da4d364a-11f6-45b4-bd0a-ee7f1dbfbf07, 82eef598-93fb-42c0-8943-5a46e5df7d60)
- [● 6 SOURCES] The Osprey program has experienced several fatal crashes, including a June 2022 crash that killed five Marines and a November 2023 crash off Japan that killed eight airmen. (da4d364a-11f6-45b4-bd0a-ee7f1dbfbf07, d3a50897-72c1-44f4-b9bd-2d45af19b5df)
- [● 6 SOURCES] The Next‑Generation Assault Support (NGAS) program is being developed as a successor to the MV‑22 Osprey. (d3a50897-72c1-44f4-b9bd-2d45af19b5df)
- [● 6 SOURCES] The Osprey accounts for about 75 % of the Marine Corps rotary‑wing assault support capability. (da4d364a-11f6-45b4-bd0a-ee7f1dbfbf07, 82eef598-93fb-42c0-8943-5a46e5df7d60)
- [● 6 SOURCES] The Osprey fleet has logged more than 686,500 flight hours across 114 operational deployments. (d3a50897-72c1-44f4-b9bd-2d45af19b5df, da4d364a-11f6-45b4-bd0a-ee7f1dbfbf07, 82eef598-93fb-42c0-8943-5a46e5df7d60)
- [● 6 SOURCES] The Marine Corps is modernizing the MV‑22B fleet to keep it operational through 2055, including wiring upgrades and configuration standardization. (d3a50897-72c1-44f4-b9bd-2d45af19b5df, da4d364a-11f6-45b4-bd0a-ee7f1dbfbf07)
- [● 6 SOURCES] The MV‑22/B Osprey production line will close in 2028 after the Navy receives its final CMV‑22. (d3a50897-72c1-44f4-b9bd-2d45af19b5df)