NAVAL STATION ROTA, Spain – Landing support specialists braved the rough rotor wash beneath an MV-22B Osprey to deliver supplies during a helicopter support team exercise, July 6, 2016.

Landing support specialists with Combat Logistics Battalion 2, Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Africa, attach a 1,098 pound pallet of Meals, Ready to Eat to an MV-22B Osprey during a helicopter support team exercise aboard Naval Station Rota, Spain, July 6, 2016. External lifts allow pilots to deliver large cargo and supplies to Marines located in rough or unknown terrain without having to land the aircraft. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Tia Nagle/Released)

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Mackinnly Lewis, a landing support specialist with Combat Logistics Battalion 2, Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Africa, guides an MV-22B Osprey during a helicopter support team exercise aboard Naval Station Rota, Spain, July 6, 2016. This training prepares Marines to deliver and recover supplies and equipment quickly and efficiently in potential future missions around Europe and Africa. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Tia Nagle/Released)

An MV-22 Osprey with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 263, Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Africa, lifts a 1,098 pound pallet of Meals, Ready to Eat during a helicopter support team exercise aboard Naval Station Rota, Spain, July 6, 2016. External lifts allow pilots to deliver large cargo and supplies to Marines located in rough or unknown terrain without having to land the aircraft. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Tia Nagle/Released)

Landing support specialists with Combat Logistics Battalion 2, Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Africa, brace themselves against rotor wash as an MV-22B Osprey picks up a 1,098 pound pallet of Meals, Ready to Eat during a helicopter support team exercise aboard Naval Station Rota, Spain, July 6, 2016. External lift training prepares the Marines to efficiently attach cargo to the aircraft and helps qualify air crew in the mission-essential task of rapid insertion and extraction in a possible crisis response scenario. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Tia Nagle/Released)

Landing support specialists with Combat Logistics Battalion 2, Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Africa, attach a 1,098 pound pallet of Meals, Ready to Eat to an MV-22B Osprey during a helicopter support team exercise aboard Naval Station Rota, Spain, July 6, 2016. This training prepares the Marines to efficiently attach cargo to the aircraft and helps qualify air crew in the mission-essential task of rapid insertion and extraction. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Tia Nagle/Released)

Landing support specialists with Combat Logistics Battalion 2, Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Africa, await the arrival of an MV-22B Osprey during a helicopter support team exercise aboard Naval Station Rota, Spain, July 6, 2016. This training prepares Marines to deliver and recover supplies quickly and efficiently in potential future missions across Europe and Africa. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Tia Nagle/Released)

An MV-22 Osprey with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 263, Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Africa, transports a 1,098 pound pallet of Meals, Ready to Eat during a helicopter support team exercise aboard Naval Station Rota, Spain, July 6, 2016. External lift training prepares the Marines to efficiently attach cargo to the aircraft and helps qualify air crew in the mission-essential task of rapid insertion and extraction in a possible crisis response scenario. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Tia Nagle/Released)

ATLANTIC OCEAN - Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) 3rd Class Hilda Martinez signals an MV-22B Osprey for take off aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) July 9, 2016. Wasp is deployed with the Wasp Amphibious Ready Group to support maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the 6th Fleet area of operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Rawad Madanat)

U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Victor CastilloGarcia, left, a field radio operator from Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response-Africa, provides security for an MV-22B Osprey at a landing zone in Sierra Del Retin, Spain, May 4, 2015. The Marines landed at the site to conduct range operations with the Spanish Marines, who used the Osprey as part of their battalion’s training exercise. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Paul Peterson/Released)

SOCEUR continues to focus on expanding theater-wide SOF capabilities in a manner that "thickens our lines” by training, developing, and enabling European SOF Allies and partners to deploy to Afghanistan as part of Combined Special Operations Task Force 10 (CSOTF-10), which serves under the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force.

In coordination with U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe and U.S. Marine Corps Forces Africa, the community of U.S. European Command, U.S. Africa Command, and USAG Stuttgart had “hands-on” experience with the MV-22B Osprey during a capabilities exercise.

Community members wait to tour the inside of an MV-22B Osprey from Marine Tiltrotor Squadron 266 (Reinforced), 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, II Marine Expeditionary Force during a capabilities demonstration. U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Africa, in coordination with U.S. European Command, U.S. Africa Command and U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart received “hands-on” experience with the MV-22B Osprey during a capabilities exercise on Patch Barracks, Kelly Barracks, and Stuttgart Army Airfield, familiarizing the combatant commands with the possibilities and new abilities the aircraft could provide throughout their respective area of reach. The three MV-22 Osprey crews flew 1400 nautical miles from the Atlantic Ocean, without having to land to refuel, before arriving two days earlier. The MV-22 Osprey possess twice the speed, can fly twice as high, carry three times the payload, and travels five times the distance of other legacy, medium-lift helicopters.

An MV-22B Osprey from Marine Tiltrotor Squadron 266 (Reinforced), 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, II Marine Expeditionary Force, lands on Kelly Field during a demonstration at Kelly Barracks, March 28. U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Africa, in coordination with U.S. European Command, U.S. Africa Command, and U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart received “hands-on” experience with the MV-22B Osprey during a capabilities exercise on Patch Barracks, Kelly Barracks, and Stuttgart Army Airfield, that helped to familiarize the combatant commands with the possibilities and new abilities the aircraft could provide throughout their respective area of reach. The three MV-22 Osprey crews flew 1400 nautical miles from the Atlantic Ocean, without having to land to refuel, before arriving two days earlier. The MV-22 Osprey possess twice the speed, can fly twice as high, carry three times the payload, and travels five times the distance of other legacy, medium-lift helicopters.

A U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft assigned to the Air Combat Element of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, II Marine Expeditionary Force arrives at the Stuttgart Army Airfield March 26, 2013, in Stuttgart, Germany. The aircraft flew to Suttgart to conduct a capabilities demonstration.

A U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft assigned to the Air Combat Element of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, II Marine Expeditionary Force arrives at the Stuttgart Army Airfield March 26, 2013, in Stuttgart, Germany. The aircraft flew to Suttgart to conduct a capabilities demonstration.

A U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft assigned to the Air Combat Element of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, II Marine Expeditionary Force approaches the Stuttgart Army Airfield March 26, 2013, in Stuttgart, Germany. The aircraft flew to Suttgart to conduct a capabilities demonstration.

A U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft assigned to the Air Combat Element of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, II Marine Expeditionary Force approaches the Stuttgart Army Airfield March 26, 2013, in Stuttgart, Germany. The aircraft flew to Suttgart to conduct a capabilities demonstration.

One of the most iconic and longest running air shows across the globe kicked off here, July 9, and U.S. service members are among 1,500 exhibitors from around the world showcasing the latest in aerospace equipment and technology.

SIERRA DEL RETIN, Spain (June 23, 2011) - Spanish marines along with Marines from the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) prepare to load into an MV-22B Osprey from Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 263 (Reinforced) to conduct parachute operations into a Spanish military training area northwest of Naval Station Rota, Spain, June 23, as part of the bilateral Spanish Amphibious Landing Exercise (PHIBLEX) 2011. The Bataan Amphibious Ready Group, which includes multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5), dock landing ship USS Whidbey Island (LSD 41) and the amphibious transport dock USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19) are also participating in the exercise.

SIERRA DEL RETIN, Spain (June 23, 2011) - Spanish marines parachute from an MV-22B Osprey assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 263 (Reinforced), 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), into a Spanish military training area northwest of Naval Station Rota, Spain, June 23, as part of the bilateral Spanish Amphibious Landing Exercise (PHIBLEX) 2011. The Bataan Amphibious Ready Group, which includes multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5), dock landing ship USS Whidbey Island (LSD 41) and the amphibious transport dock USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19) are also participating in the exercise.

MEDITERRANEAN SEA (March 17, 2011) -- Cpl. Jonathan Zuniga, with 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, welds the inside of a MV-22B Osprey engine holding can in the hangar bay of amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3). Engine holding cans are used to transport new aircraft engines. Kearsarge is the command ship of the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group, supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Scott Pittman/Released)

USS KEARSARGE-Mediterranean Sea (March 17, 2011) -- Sgt. Peter Bauer installs safety wires to a central de-icing distributer for an MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft. Kearsarge is the command ship of the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group, supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility. (U.S. Navy Photo By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Stevie Tate/Released)

SIGONELLA, Sicily (Mar. 15, 2011) MV-22 Ospreys assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 266 and Marine Expeditionary Unit (26 MEU) fly into Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella March 15 to transport personnel from Sigonella to the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3). Kearsarge is the command ship of the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group, supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Cameron Bramham/Released)