The panel appointed by the secretary of Defense to review all aspects of the V-22 Osprey program will conduct fact-finding visits this week to various facilities associated with the V-22 and hold its first public meeting.
The four-member panel, chaired by retired Marine Gen. John R. Dailey, will visit the V-22 training squadron, Marine Medium Tiltrotor Training Squadron 204, at New River, N.C., on March 5, 2001. On Tuesday, March 6, the group will visit U.S. Special Operations Command headquarters in Tampa, Fla., and the Bell Helicopter Textron final assembly facility in Amarillo, Texas. On Wednesday, the panel will visit Bell's engineering and production facilities in Fort Worth, Texas. The panel will wrap up its fact-finding tour at Boeing's engineering and production facilities outside Philadelphia, Pa. on Thursday, March 8. The panel's fact-finding visits are closed to the public and media.
The V-22 is produced jointly by Bell Helicopter Textron and Boeing.
The review panel will hold an open meeting on March 9, 2001 to receive information from the general public regarding the V-22 program. The meeting is being held from 1-5 p.m. EST at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Arlington Ballroom, 1489 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, Va.
The Panel to Review the V-22 Program is expected to complete its review and report its findings and recommendations to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld in April. Other members of the panel are Norman R. Augustine, retired Air Force Gen. James. B. Davis, and Eugene E. Covert.
For information on the V-22 panel, contact Lt. Col. Dave Lapan at (703) 697-5333.
