The CMV-22B Osprey: Logistics Engine for the Navy’s Distributed Fleet

The U.S. Navy’s adoption of the CMV-22B Osprey represents far more than a straightforward aircraft replacement program.

What began as a plan to modernize carrier onboard delivery (COD) operations can clearly evolve into a cornerstone capability for the Navy’s shift toward distributed maritime operations. The CMV-22B enables a transformation that could reshape how the fleet sustains itself across vast oceanic battlespaces.

The CMV-22B tiltrotor aircraft, based on the Marine Corps’ proven MV-22B platform, was initially conceived as a direct replacement for the aging C-2A Greyhound that had served the fleet for over four decades. However, as the Navy grapples with the challenges of operating in contested environments against near-peer adversaries, the Osprey’s unique capabilities have positioned it as a critical enabler for an entirely new approach to naval logistics.

If the Navy reduces the CMV-22B to the notion of COD to large deck carriers alone, that would be a significant strategic opportunity lost. It would be as if the USMC reduced their Ospreys to the scope and thinking which surrounded the aircraft it replaced, the CH-46.

Enhancing the “fight tonight force” or the “ready force” is a key imperative for the United States and its allies. It is not about waiting for the arrival of 2035 platforms enabling force transformation: such transformation needs to be driven now.

The U.S. military has focused on force distribution as a key way to enhance the survival of their forces and are working ways to enhance the lethality of a distributed force. But sustainability of a distributed force is a major challenge.

For the U.S. Navy with the Military Sealift Command ships in short supply, this is especially challenging to allow for the cross-fleet support crucial in a distributed maritime operations construct.

In other words, this shift requires not only advanced combat capabilities but also flexible logistics support that can keep pace with widely dispersed forces.

The traditional approach of concentrated naval formations, while effective in permissive environments, presents vulnerabilities in an era of advanced anti-ship missiles and surveillance capabilities. As Rear Admiral Meyer, former Commander of Naval Air Force Atlantic, noted, carrier strike groups can now move over 700 miles in a 24-hour period, creating unprecedented challenges for logistics support.

The CMV-22B addresses this challenge through capabilities that far exceed those of its predecessor. Unlike the C-2A, which was limited to large-deck carrier operations, the Osprey can conduct long-range navigation and deliver logistical support across entire fleets, providing critical advantages in distributed maritime environments where logistics needs span vast areas and diverse units.

The CMV-22B’s specifications demonstrate its transformational potential. The aircraft can transport up to 6,000 pounds of cargo or 24 passengers across a range of 1,150 nautical miles. This is a significant improvement over the C-2A’s capabilities. More importantly, its tiltrotor design enables it to take off and land vertically like a helicopter while transitioning to turboprop flight for greater speed and range, allowing operations from both aircraft carriers and remote shore bases without requiring catapults or arresting gear.

This versatility extends to ship-to-ship operations, a capability that has already been demonstrated through testing. The “Blackjacks” of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (HX) 21 successfully conducted CMV-22B landings on amphibious transport dock ships, proving the aircraft’s ability to support vessel-to-vessel logistics operations. The Osprey’s cargo bay offers greater capacity than the MH-60 helicopter traditionally used for such missions, and for ships without suitable landing spaces, the aircraft can carry stores externally using a cargo hook.

Perhaps most significantly for modern naval operations, the CMV-22B can transport the F-35C Lightning II’s power module internally — a capability that the C-2A lacked. This capability proved itself operationally when VRM-30 successfully delivered an F-35C power module aboard USS Carl Vinson in February 2021, marking the Navy’s first at-sea replenishment of this critical component.

The Navy achieved Initial Operational Capability (IOC) for the CMV-22B in December 2021, with the aircraft making its first operational deployment aboard USS Carl Vinson alongside Carrier Air Wing Two. The service has established three dedicated squadrons: VRM-30 (the “Titans”) at Naval Air Station North Island, California; VRM-40 (the “Mighty Bison”) at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia; and VRM-50 (the “SunHawks”), which serves as the fleet replacement squadron for training.

The transition from C-2A operations is progressing steadily. VRM-30 has been deploying three CMV-22Bs per detachment, compared to the typical two-plane C-2A detachments, providing carrier strike groups with increased flexibility and capacity. On the East Coast, VRM-40 received its first CMV-22B in April 2024 and is preparing to provide fleet logistics aviation assets to the Atlantic Fleet beginning in 2025. The squadron recently achieved a significant milestone when one of its aircraft conducted the first CMV-22B landing qualifications on the Ford-class carrier USS Gerald R. Ford in September 2024.

The Navy’s procurement strategy reflects both the platform’s importance and budget realities. While the original Program of Record called for 48 aircraft, current plans envision a total fleet of 44 units. In March 2025, the Department of Defense awarded Bell Boeing a $590 million contract for five additional CMV-22B aircraft, with completion scheduled for January 2028.

However, this fleet size may prove insufficient for the Navy’s distributed operations concept. Captain Sandy Clark, a retired Navy aviator, estimates that in a near-peer conflict where logistics are contested, the Navy could require as many as 70 CMV-22Bs. This assessment reflects the expanded mission set envisioned for the platform, which extends far beyond traditional COD operations to encompass fleet-wide support functions.

The aircraft’s ability to conduct rapid logistics resupply across vast distances makes it particularly valuable in the Indo-Pacific theater, where operational distances can span thousands of miles. Its capacity to deliver critical materials, conduct medical evacuations, and support combat troops in contested environments positions it as more than a logistics platform.

It becomes a force enabler and multiplier for distributed operations.

The Osprey’s potential extends to specialized missions as well. Its enhanced secure communications could support Naval Special Warfare forces in combat search and rescue operations, while its aerial refueling capability could provide additional support to carrier strike groups. To be clear, Osprey variants do have enhanced communications capabilities that could support special operations, and the aerial refueling technology was successfully tested, but this capability is not currently being pursued by the Navy or actively implemented by the Marines for carrier strike group support. These expanded roles nevertheless demonstrate how the platform could evolve beyond its original COD mission to become a versatile asset for joint operations.

The Navy’s investment in the CMV-22B also supports broader strategic objectives. As Vice Admiral Whitesell, the former Navy’s air boss, noted, the service is in an experimentation phase, working on force distribution and integration in an environment where contested logistics are not just desirable but necessary. The CMV-22B provides the speed, range, and flexibility essential for this operational evolution.

The CMV-22B represents a critical step in the Navy’s adaptation to 21st-century naval warfare. While initially conceived as a replacement for the C-2A Greyhound, the Osprey has emerged as an enabler for distributed maritime operations that could prove decisive in future conflicts. Its ability to support not just large-deck carriers but entire fleet formations provide the Navy with unprecedented logistics flexibility.

The platform’s demonstrated capabilities in ship-to-ship operations, combined with its ability to support critical systems like the F-35C, position it as an indispensable asset for the Navy’s evolving operational concepts.

The question now is not whether the CMV-22B will transform naval logistics, but whether the Navy will invest in the readiness upgrades necessary and procure sufficient numbers of aircraft to fully realize the platform’s potential.

In an era where logistics may determine the outcome of naval conflicts, the Osprey provides capabilities that could prove as important as any weapons system in the fleet’s inventory.

Featured photo: Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Aircraft Handling) 2nd Class Alex Ramirez, left, and Chief Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Aircraft Handling) Christopher Adamson, both assigned to Air Department aboard the world’s largest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), signal to a CMV-22B Osprey as it takes off from the flight deck, July 3, 2025. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Gladjimi Balisage).