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Ospreys deploy to Darwin as part of latest Marine Corps rotation

written by australianaviation.com.au | April 18, 2017

Marine Corps MV-22s at Fog Bay, NT during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2015. (Defence)

Four Bell Boeing MV-22B Osprey tiltrotors will form part of the latest US Marine Corps rotational deployment to Darwin.

The 1,250 personnel strong 2017 Marine Rotational Force-Darwin (MRF-D) was due to begin arriving in Darwin this week for the six-month long deployment.

As well as the Ospreys the Marines are also sending five AH-1W ‘Whiskey’ Cobra attack helicopters and four UH-1Y Venom utility helicopters to Darwin.

“This year’s rotation will see improved complexity and sophistication of our combined training activities and exercises – supporting real-life operations from counter-terrorism to humanitarian and disaster relief missions,” the Department of Defence said in a statement on Tuesday.

Marine Corps Ospreys have previously deployed to Australia for Exercise Talisman Saber and Exercise Koolendong in 2013 and Talisman Sabre 2015.

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Comments (10)

  • Tom

    says:

    Those Ospreys – Reliable…hopefully, Capable….should be, Cool…..definitely

  • Paul

    says:

    Another 25,000 marines with all the kit too boot would be better.

  • Corey

    says:

    When will our ADF bite the bullet and buy a fleet of these for the SASR and for general use? Also, why not also buy additional CH-47Fs? An additional 14 would do nicely.

  • Raymond

    says:

    Corey, refer to the responses to your comments on previous articles for your answer.

  • Mick181

    says:

    Corey, an extra 6-8 C-17s, 10-12 C-27s, 50 F-35Bs, 50 AH-64Es and so on would do nicely too, how about an extra $20b per annum in the Defence budget, would do nicely to. Unfortunately our $30b a year defence budget only stretches so far and less than 1/3 is actually spent on new equipment.

  • Paul

    says:

    Mick and Corey. While we’re splashing the billions around, how about a few more for the two carriers for the F-35’s, plus more frigates, destroyers and oilers to escort and support them.

  • Fed

    says:

    How Stealth are propeller on the Osprey, they must have big radar cross section

  • John N

    says:

    Corey,

    You said: “When will our ADF bite the bullet and buy a fleet of these for the SASR and for general use? Also, why not also buy additional CH-47Fs? An additional 14 would do nicely.”

    Rather than me just saying that’s another Red Bull moment, lets break it down into bite sized chunks.

    Firstly I don’t think we will see the Government ordering a fleet of V-22’s AND another 14 CH-47F’s (both? For what purpose and at what cost??).

    As to the Government ‘biting the bullet’, well there is a project set out in the DWP and DIIP for ‘long range combat search and rescue aircraft’, but the time frame for that project is not here yet.

    The time frame is set for somewhere between 2023 and 2032 and with a budget of between $2b-$3b, and yes contenders for that project will probably include future variants of the V-22 and CH-47, but realistically not BOTH.

    The Government doesn’t have to ‘bite the bullet’ today or tomorrow, there is a clear path set out.

    Money and resources don’t grow on a tree at the bottom of the garden, there are a lot of projects across the whole ADF (and not just aviation projects), and they all take time!

    Cheers,

    John N

  • Paul

    says:

    Mick181,it’s pretty sad we spend only 30 billion a year.

  • john

    says:

    So corey you say we need more ch 47f and more c 17 and f35 but were will the money come from and the people to fly them the numbers you want are not possblie what we have in numbers for the ch 47f and the c c 17 are the right amount for australia

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