U.S. Marine Corps MV-22s Land on Japanese Ships

The U.S. Marine Corps demonstrated the capability of the V-22 Osprey to operate to allied nation platforms by landing the tiltrotor on the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force helicopter destroyer JS Hyuga and dock landing ship JS Shimokita on June 14. MV-22 Ospreys performed takeoffs and landings on the ships during Dawn Blitz 2013, a multinational amphibious exercise off the coast of California. Japan and France are among nations that have expressed interest in acquiring the tiltrotor, including ā€œmore than threeā€ nations that are holding serious discussions, U.S. Marine Col. Greg Masiello, V-22 Joint Program Office manager, told a Paris Air Show briefing on Monday. That group includes Israel, which has requested V-22s from the U.S. as part of a larger arms package.