V22 Osprey Turkey hard at work in Iraq

The Osprey V22 has been operational in Iraq for some months now and reports are starting to filter out ... Christian Low at Military.com reports on getting a ride

"It just so happened that my flight from Fallujah to al Asad was on an Osprey. I was jammed in there with about ten other pax, their gear and a box full of supplies" (Design Capacity: 24 troops (seated), 32 troops (floor loaded) or up to 15,000 pounds of cargo .

It sounds as though ear plugs would be advisable - or at least an iPod.

"the performance of the Osprey compared to the helicopter it's replacing -- the CH-46 Sea Knight -- is like night and day. The most dramatic thing you notice here in a "combat" environment is the extreme altitude gain and loss the MV-22 can pull. It literally jumps off the landing pad and within seconds goes nose high and skyrockets to anywhere between 5,000 and 9,500 feet. The pull up and nose down to the LZ can be so jarring you think you're going to fall out the back...and the pressure on your ears is borderline painful."

He also wrote again a few days later ..

"..the Corps’ most high-profile program is finally deployed, and from the looks of it, the MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor transport is living up to its promise.

"There’s nothing in the inventory that can keep up with the Osprey," said Lt. Col. Paul Rock, commander of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 263, "The Thuderchickens" which deployed here in late September. "This aircraft can scream across the ground."

Over the last five months, the Osprey has flown myriad missions. But most of its hops have consisted of run-of-the-mill logistics runs: shepherding troops to widely scattered forward operating bases, flying in supplies and mail, shuttling commanders to meetings with tribal leaders and Iraqi security officials. "

Also at defense.tech

"Although the Marines have been keeping a tight lid on what's going on with the Osprey since VMM-263 arrived at al Assad a couple of weeks ago, our inside sources relay that after a couple of sorties in country it's "so far, so good."

Charlie at OP FOR posted ...

"VMM-263 -- the "Thunder Chickens" -- has flown five Aeroscout missions, one raid, more than 1,400 combat sorties, and maintained an average mission capable readiness rate of 68.1 percent during its deployment, the service reported.

The Ospreys flew everywhere throughout the battlefield from Baghdad to Al Qaim, providing an operational capability over distance and time that has "effectively collapsed the battlespace," the Marines say."

Also an interestingarticle about US$83 available for developing a defensive gun - Navy Times Osprey may get turret-mounted machine gun By Gayle S. Putrich October 11th 2007