PHILADELPHIA (Dec. 10, 2019) — Bell Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, and Boeing [NYSE: BA] have delivered the first modified MV-22 Osprey to the United States Marine Corps for improved readiness and reliability of the tiltrotor fleet.

The Marines have multiple configurations of the MV-22 aircraft in service. Under the Common Configuration – Readiness and Modernization (CC-RAM) program, Bell Boeing is reducing the number of configurations by upgrading block “B” aircraft to the current block “C” configuration.

“Our first CC-RAM aircraft returning to MCAS New River was a key program benchmark,” said U.S. Marine Corps Col. Matthew Kelly, program manager, V-22 Joint Program Office (PMA-275). “We are excited to see the capability, commonality and readiness improvements these CC-RAM aircraft bring to the fleet as part of the Marine Corps’ V-22 readiness program.”

As a block B configuration, this MV-22 was originally delivered to the fleet in 2005. In 2018, the aircraft flew from Marine Corps Air Station New River back to the Boeing Philadelphia facility for modernization.

“This delivery is an important milestone for the Marine Corps’ MV-22 readiness and modernization campaign.” said Chris Gehler, Bell V-22 VP and Program Director. “Through this campaign, Bell Boeing, in partnership with HQMC and NAVAIR, is returning improved MV-22s to the fleet where the V-22 continues to be an essential aviation resource worldwide.”

The next CC-RAM delivery is expected in early 2020.

“We look forward to having the remaining MV-22 Block “B” aircraft rejoin the fleet in a Block “C” configuration,” said Kelly.

In November 2019, the U.S. Navy awarded Bell Boeing $146,039,547 to upgrade nine additional MV-22 aircraft under the CC-RAM program, with work expected to be completed in March 2022.