V-22 Osprey aircraft underperformed in Iraq-report

By Jim Wolf

WASHINGTON, June 23 (Reuters) - A revolutionary tilt-rotor aircraft built by a team of Boeing Co (BA.N) and Textron Inc (TXT.N) underperformed in Iraq, may fall short in Afghanistan and the Pentagon should review whether to buy more, congressional investigators said on Tuesday.

The Marine Corps model of the V-22 Osprey "has not performed the full range of missions anticipated" in Iraq, the Government Accountability Office said in a report prepared for a congressional hearing.

Twelve of the aircraft were deployed to Iraq from October 2007 until April 2009 and the Marines want to take the Osprey to Afghanistan.

Tests have raised questions about its ability to operate in "threat environments" higher than existed during its Iraq deployment, GAO said.

The aircraft flies like a helicopter for takeoffs and landings, then swivels its rotors to gain the speed and range of a fixed-wing aircraft. It is designed to transport combat troops, supplies and equipment for the Marines and to support other armed services. Its development was dogged by fatal crashes, including one in 1992 that killed seven.

In Iraq, the V-22s mission capability and full mission capability rates -- key measures of its suitability and effectiveness -- fell significantly below required levels and significantly below rates of the helicopters it is to replace, GAO said.

Among other problems, maneuvering limits and "challenges in detecting threats" may affect air crew ability to carry out evasive actions, GAO said. It added the aircraft's shipboard operations were hampered by its large size and repair parts inventory.

"Identified challenges could limit the ability to conduct worldwide operations in some environments and at high altitudes similar to what might be expected in Afghanistan," the report said.