First West Coast-based Osprey arrives - Marine Corps News, news from Iraq - Marine Corps Times

First West Coast-based Osprey arrives

The first Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft to be permanently stationed on the West Coast landed in California Saturday.

The landing came one month before the originally scheduled arrival at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego. The air station will become the primary Osprey base on the West Coast.

“The aircraft was delivered ahead of schedule, thanks to the Bell/Boeing team,” said Maj. Jay Delarosa, a 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing spokesman at Miramar.

The Osprey is the first to join Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 161, formerly a CH-46E helicopter squadron with Marine Aircraft Group 16 at Miramar. The squadron, on Oct. 8, became the first of 10 planned West Coast-based MV-22 squadrons assigned to I Marine Expeditionary Force. Miramar will house up to eight Osprey squadrons. Two more will likely be based at Camp Pendleton, 30 miles north, according to the Navy’s record of decision approved Nov. 18. The decision opens the door to construction and renovations at both airfields’ flight lines to accommodate 120 Osprey by 2020.