The Bell Boeing V-22 Program, a strategic alliance between Boeing and Bell Helicopter has received a $34 million order from the U.S. Air Force for three new CV-22 training devices and an upgrade to an existing device.

The new contract will upgrade a CV-22 Cabin Part Task Trainer (CPTT) and two fuselage aircrew/maintenance trainers at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., to create a full-fuselage Cabin Operational Flight Trainer (COFT), ensuring continued concurrency with the aircraft platform. The Bell Boeing V-22 Program also will deliver a new Wing Part Task Trainer to Kirtland.

Hurlburt Field, Fla., and Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., will receive two new COFTs. Initial training is expected to begin in mid-2014 at all three bases.

The CPTT currently is the only device that provides V-22 emergency egress training.

Its additional training capabilities include cargo loading, cargo air delivery, virtual fast ropers, combined real and virtual hoist operations, medevac configuration, lighting, communications, night vision, emergency procedures, and refueling and defueling procedures.

All of these capabilities will be included in the upgraded and new COFTs.

"The new COFTs will be made from the first CV-22 test flight vehicles," said Mark McGraw, Boeing vice president for Training Systems and Services. "They and the upgraded CPTT include enhancements to provide high-fidelity training in nearly two dozen tasks."

These improvements will increase the realism of mission rehearsals and allow the COFTs and CV-22 aircrew trainers located at the same bases to be networked together for more robust training capabilities.

The wing trainer is a new maintenance trainer capability for the Air Force; the U.S. Marine Corps already trains on one for the MV-22.

More than 145 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft are in operation today. Marine Corps MV-22s are deployed in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit for contingency operations, while Air Force Special Operations Command CV-22s are deployed in ongoing Special Operations missions.

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