Air Warriors (2014–…): Season 1, Episode 3 - Osprey - full transcript

Narrator: PART PLANE.

PART HELICOPTER.

THE V-22 OSPREY
IS ONE OF A KIND.

Man: IT'S IN A COMPLETELY
DIFFERENT LEAGUE.

Narrator: HER JOURNEY
FROM SKETCH TO SKY

HAS BEEN FOUGHT
WITH RED TAPE AND TRAGEDY.

TENS OF BILLIONS SPENT.

Man: WE KNEW
WHAT THE AIRCRAFT COULD DO,

AND THAT'S WHERE OUR FOCUS WAS.

Narrator: DOZENS OF LIVES LOST.

Man on radio: OH, MY GOD!
THEY WENT DOWN! THEY CRASHED!



Narrator: NOW WE BRING YOU
THE INSIDE STORY--

HOW THE OSPREY
TRANSFORMED ITSELF

FROM ONE OF THE MOST
CONTROVERSIAL AIRCRAFT

EVER BUILT...

Man: ITS POLITICAL VIABILITY
WAS QUESTIONED.

Narrator: ...INTO
A COMBAT-HARDENED LIFESAVER.

NOVEMBER 8, 2013.

TYPHOON HAIYAN
RIPS THROUGH THE PHILIPPINES.

IT'S THE STRONGEST STORM
EVER TO MAKE LANDFALL.

DEVASTATING WINDS WHIP OVER
THE LAND AT 170 MILES PER HOUR.

THE SURGING SEA LEAVES
MUD AND DEATH IN ITS WAKE.

Man: THERE WAS
A 15 TO 25-FOOT WAVE,

CAME ACROSS ENTIRE VILLAGES,
AND SO EVERYTHING'S WIPED OUT.

Narrator: RELIEF SUPPLIES
POUR IN FROM AROUND THE WORLD,



BUT GETTING IT TO THE PEOPLE
WHO NEED IT MOST IS A CHALLENGE.

Casey Nelson: DAY AFTER DAY,

THEY KEPT BRINGING
MORE AND MORE CARGO,

AND THEY JUST KEPT STACKING IT
UP ON THE TARMAC

RIGHT BESIDE THE OTHER AID
AND SUPPLIES.

Narrator: THE PHILIPPINE ARMY
TRIES TO DISTRIBUTE THE AID,

BUT THEY QUICKLY FIND THEMSELVES
IN NEED OF SUPPORT.

Nelson: THE PHILIPPINE ARMY WERE
UTILIZING OLDER MODEL HUEYS,

AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE RANGE

TO GET OUT TO SOME
OF THE MORE ISOLATED AREAS.

Narrator: PEOPLE DYING.

SUPPLIES LAID TO WASTE.

RELIEF ORGANIZERS
NEED AN ANSWER FAST.

THE SOLUTION
COMES FROM THE MARINE CORPS'

ONE-OF-A-KIND AIRCRAFT,

THE V-22 OSPREY.

THE OSPREY
IS IN A LEAGUE OF ITS OWN.

IT'S NOT A PLANE,

AND IT'S NOT A HELICOPTER.

THE OSPREY IS A TILT-ROTOR,

MEANING IT'S AN AIRCRAFT
THAT CAN DO THE JOBS OF BOTH.

Nelson: A TILT-ROTOR AIRCRAFT
GIVES US TREMENDOUS CAPABILITIES

THAT AN AIRPLANE HAS
AS FAR AS SPEED AND RANGE.

UNIQUELY WE CAN LAND IN A HOVER
JUST LIKE A HELICOPTER COULD,

SO WE CAN LAND
IN A LOT OF PLACES

THAT AN AIRPLANE CAN'T LAND.

Narrator:
ITS TILT-ROTOR CAPABILITIES

GIVE THE OSPREY
ANOTHER ADVANTAGE

WHEN IT'S NEEDED QUICKLY--

THEY ALLOW IT TO SELF-DEPLOY.

Man: THE IDEA OF SELF-DEPLOYMENT

IS THAT YOU JUST GAS IT UP
AND FLY THERE.

ALL AIRPLANES SELF-DEPLOY
BECAUSE THEY CAN CARRY THE FUEL,

AND THEY CAN FLY LONG RANGES.

HELICOPTERS FUNDAMENTALLY
DON'T HAVE THE RANGE

OF A FIXED-WING AIRCRAFT.

Narrator:
BUT THE TILT-ROTOR OSPREY

IS A BIRD OF A DIFFERENT COLOR.

Al Winn: THE V-22,
BECAUSE IT, IN FORWARD FLIGHT,

IT FLIES LIKE A FIXED-WING,

IT HAS A MUCH LONGER
DEPLOYABLE RANGE

THAN A CONVENTIONAL HELICOPTER,

SO A V-22 CAN NOW
PRETTY MUCH SELF-DEPLOY

ANYWHERE AROUND THE WORLD.

Narrator: NOVEMBER 10, 2013.

OKINAWA, JAPAN.

900 MILES AWAY
FROM THE DEVASTATION

IN THE PHILIPPINES,

OSPREY PILOTS AT MARINE CORPS
STATION FUTENMA

RECEIVE ORDERS TO PREP
THEIR BIRDS FOR DEPLOYMENT.

COMMANDERS DUB THE MISSION
OPERATION DAMAYAN,

A FILIPINO WORD MEANING
"HELP IN THE TIME OF NEED."

Nelson: AS SOON AS WE GOT THE
APPROVAL TO GO HELP AND ASSIST,

WE WERE ABLE TO LAUNCH
THE SAME DAY.

Narrator: THE UNITED STATES
MARINE CORPS IS WELL KNOWN

AS THE FIRST TO THE FIGHT.

THEY'RE OFTEN THE FIRST BOOTS
ON THE GROUND

IN HUMANITARIAN DISASTERS, TOO.

Paul Rock: THE MARINE
EXPEDITIONARY FORCE OUT THERE

WAS CERTAINLY TRACKING THE
IMPENDING ARRIVAL OF THE STORM,

SO WITHIN ONLY A DAY,

THE FIRST MARINE RELIEF EFFORTS
STARTED TO DEPLOY.

Narrator: FULLY LOADED,

THE OSPREY
HAS A RANGE OF 450 MILES,

BUT THE 900-MILE FLIGHT
FROM OKINAWA TO THE PHILIPPINES

WON'T STOP THE OSPREY
FROM GETTING THERE FAST.

THAT'S BECAUSE
IT CAN DO SOMETHING

MOST HELICOPTERS CAN'T--
REFUEL IN MID-AIR.

EACH OSPREY SQUADRON
IS SUPPORTED

BY A C-130 REFUELING AIRCRAFT.

Nelson: WE HAVE WHAT'S CALLED
A REFUEL AREA COMMANDER,

AND THAT WOULD BE A C-130 PILOT,

AND HE HAS
A SPECIAL QUALIFICATION

AND A SPECIAL SKILL.

Narrator:
HALFWAY THROUGH THEIR FLIGHT,

THE OSPREYS MUST REFUEL.

EVEN WITH HOURS OF PRACTICE,
IT'S A RISKY AERIAL BALLET.

THE OSPREY CAREFULLY
ALIGNS WITH THE C-130.

THEY FLY A MERE
15 FEET AWAY FROM EACH OTHER

AT 230 MILES PER HOUR.

TWO HAZARDS COMPLICATE
THE REFUELING PROCESS--

THE OSPREY'S POWERFUL
TWIN ROTORS,

38-FOOT BLADES SPINNING
AT 333 REVOLUTIONS PER MINUTE.

HALFWAY THROUGH ITS JOURNEY,

THE C-130 CREW
EXTENDS A FUEL HOSE.

THE OSPREY MOVES CLOSE
TO LOCK ON.

Nelson:
YOU'RE DEFINITELY CONCERNED

ABOUT POTENTIAL HAZARDS.

WORST-CASE SCENARIO--

A PROP ROTOR BLADE
CONTACTING THE C-130.

Narrator:
THE C-130 AND THE OSPREY

EXECUTE THE REFUELING MANEUVER
FLAWLESSLY,

BUT MUCH GREATER CHALLENGES
AWAIT.

JUST FOUR HOURS AFTER TAKEOFF,

THE OSPREYS ARRIVE
IN THE PHILIPPINES.

THEIR FIRST ASSIGNMENT--

PROVIDE AID TO A REMOTE VILLAGE
360 MILES SOUTH OF MANILA.

MARINE PILOTS DON'T KNOW
WHERE THEY'LL TOUCH DOWN

ONCE THEY REACH
THEIR DESTINATION.

Nelson: YOU'RE REALLY FLYING
AN AIRCRAFT INTO AN AREA

THAT BASICALLY
IS COMPLETELY FLATTENED.

WE DIDN'T KNOW WHETHER WE WERE

ACTUALLY GOING TO BE ABLE
TO GET IN THERE.

Narrator:
IN SITUATIONS LIKE THIS,

THE OSPREY RELIES ON ITS
PRECISION LANDING CAPABILITY,

WHICH COMES FROM TWO IDENTICAL
ENGINE PODS CALLED NACELLES.

THE NACELLES ARE THE OSPREY'S
MOST IDENTIFIABLE FEATURES.

THEY CONTAIN THE ROTORS

AND PERFORM A KEY FUNCTION--
VERTICAL TAKEOFF AND LANDING.

Justin Sing: HOW THE NACELLES
HELP US TO TAKE OFF VERTICALLY

IS THEY PLACE THE ROTOR HEAD
IN AN UPWARD FASHION

TO DIRECT THE THRUST DOWN
INTO THE GROUND.

Narrator: POSITION THE NACELLES
TO 90 DEGREES,

AND THE ROTORS SHIFT
TO HELICOPTER MODE

FOR TAKEOFF AND LANDING.

POSITION THEM TO ZERO DEGREES,

AND THE OSPREY TRANSITIONS
TO PLANE MODE.

IT'S AN IMPRESSIVE
ENGINEERING FEAT.

Sing: WHAT ALLOWS
THE NACELLES TO MOVE

IS THE HYDRAULIC POWER
DRIVE UNIT

AND THE BALL AND JACK ASSEMBLY,

WHICH YOU CAN SEE UP HERE

JUST TO THE INSIDE
OF THE NACELLE

WHERE IT JOINS THE WING ROOT.

Narrator: A HYDRAULIC DRIVE
CONNECTS THE NACELLES' ENGINES

THROUGH A SHAFT
IN THE OSPREY'S WINGS.

IT PUSHES THE NACELLES
FORWARD OR BACK AS NEEDED,

TRANSFORMING THE OSPREY
IN AS LITTLE AS 15 SECONDS.

IF ONE ENGINE FAILS,

THE SECOND ENGINE
CAN STILL OPERATE BOTH ROTORS.

IT'S A SAFETY FEATURE

THAT MAY SAVE
THE LIVES OF THOSE ON BOARD.

EVEN MORE AMAZING--

THE ENTIRE COMPLEX OPERATION
IS CONTROLLED

BY JUST ONE SMALL LEVER
IN THE OSPREY'S COCKPIT.

Sing:
ON THIS THRUST CONTROL LEVER,

THIS GRAY WHEEL
THAT MY LEFT THUMB SITS ON,

IS WHAT MOVES THE NACELLES.

THIS, RIGHT HERE, IS
OUR HOTTEST COMMODITY TO A PILOT

IN THE V-22 COMMUNITY--

IN THE OSPREY COMMUNITY--
YOUR LEFT THUMB,

BECAUSE WITHOUT IT,
YOU CANNOT FLY THIS AIRCRAFT.

Narrator: IN THE PHILIPPINES,

CAPTAIN NELSON CAREFULLY
ADJUSTS THE NACELLES.

THIS IS THE MOMENT
THAT DEFINES THE OSPREY--

THE MOMENT WHEN IT TURNS
FROM A PLANE INTO A HELICOPTER.

Nelson: THERE WAS
A SMALL, LITTLE CLEARING

OF PALM TREES BASICALLY.

THEY ALL HAD BEEN
KIND OF LEVELED AWAY,

AND THERE WAS ENOUGH ROOM
FOR US TO JUST KIND OF LAND

DIRECTLY STRAIGHT DOWN
INTO THE TREES.

Narrator: AS THEY EASE
THE AIRCRAFT ONTO THE GROUND,

THE OSPREY'S CREW SURVEYS
THE NEARBY AREA.

IT'S EERILY QUIET.

Rock: WHEN YOU'RE EMPLOYING
THE AIRCRAFT

IN A HUMANITARIAN
ASSISTANCE SCENARIO,

I MEAN, YOU JUST GOT TO BE READY
FOR PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING.

YOU CAN HAVE DESPERATE FOLKS

WHO ARE TRYING TO GET
TO YOUR AIRPLANE RAPIDLY.

Narrator: AS SOON
AS THE OSPREY TOUCHES DOWN,

FRANTIC SURVIVORS POUR
OUT OF THE DESTROYED VILLAGE.

Nelson: YOU GET TO A CERTAIN
POINT IN THE DAYS

WHERE PEOPLE STOP
BEING HUNGRY AND THIRSTY

AND THEY START
GETTING DESPERATE.

Narrator: SHARP ROTORS,
HOT, POWERFUL ENGINES...

ALL IT TAKES IS ONE MISTAKE

TO TURN THE HUMANITARIAN RELIEF
MISSION INTO A DISASTER.

MARINES TRY TO KEEP CONTROL
OF THE SITUATION.

SUDDENLY,
THE CROWD STARTS TO TURN.

Narrator: AS THE OSPREY CREW
TRIES TO DELIVER FOOD AND WATER

TO TYPHOON SURVIVORS
IN THE PHILIPPINES,

DESPERATE MOBS THREATEN
TO OVERRUN THEM.

Nelson:
WE'RE CONCERNED WITH PEOPLE

GETTING TOO CLOSE
TO THE AIRCRAFT

BECAUSE IT IS A DANGEROUS
ENVIRONMENT TO BE AROUND.

Narrator: FRANTIC VILLAGERS GRAB
FOR WHATEVER THEY CAN.

THE SUPPLIES GO QUICKLY.

ANOTHER PLANE
MIGHT BE OVERWHELMED

BY THE SWARMING CROWD,

BUT THE TILT-ROTOR OSPREY
HAS A BUILT-IN ESCAPE FEATURE.

Rock: ADD IN A LITTLE
LEFT-HAND POWER THERE,

AND THE AIRPLANE
POPPED RIGHT UP.

IT'S PART OF THE FLEXIBILITY
OF VERTICAL TAKEOFF AND LANDING.

Narrator:
IN THEIR FIRST 24 HOURS,

THE OSPREYS DELIVER
OVER 66,000 POUNDS OF AID

TO THE STRICKEN PHILIPPINES.

AND FOR THE NEXT TWO WEEKS,

PILOTS AND MAINTAINERS WORK
TIRELESSLY AROUND THE CLOCK.

Rock: THE SQUADRONS
THAT DEPLOYED THERE

FLEW OVER 350 HOURS IN RELIEF.

FOR A NORMAL FULL SQUADRON,

THAT'S TYPICALLY
A MONTH'S WORTH OF FLYING.

THEY DID IT IN A COUPLE WEEKS.

Narrator: LARGE PAYLOADS,
LONG DISTANCES, FAST.

THAT'S THE OSPREY'S SPECIALTY--
ITS PRIMARY PURPOSE.

BEFORE THE OSPREY, MARINE
AIRCRAFT STRUGGLED TO DELIVER.

THEIR EXISTING FLEET
OF HELICOPTERS

LACKED THE RANGE
TO DO THEIR JOB,

LEADING TO ONE
OF THE MARINES' MOST INFAMOUS

AND UNFORGETTABLE FAILURES.

NOVEMBER 1979.

TEHRAN, IRAN.

THE U.S. EMBASSY
IS UNDER SIEGE.

ANGRY IRANIAN STUDENTS

ACCUSE THE UNITED STATES
OF UNDERMINING THEIR REVOLUTION.

THE STUDENTS TAKE
66 U.S. DIPLOMATS HOSTAGE.

THEY DEMAND THE RETURN
OF THE RECENTLY OVERTHROWN SHAH,

HIDING IN THE U.S.

THE U.S.
BALKS AT THE REQUEST.

Jimmy Carter: WE REFUSE
TO PERMIT THE USE OF TERRORISM

AND THE SEIZURE
AND THE HOLDING OF HOSTAGES

TO IMPOSE POLITICAL DEMANDS.

Narrator: IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE PERSIAN GULF,

UNITED STATES
SUPERCARRIER USS NIMITZ

STARTS BUZZING WITH ACTIVITY.

AFTER TWO MONTHS OF PRACTICE,

THE CLOCK IS ABOUT TO START
ON A TOP-SECRET MISSION--

OPERATION EAGLE CLAW.

Roger Connor:
OPERATION EAGLE CLAW

WAS A RESCUE ATTEMPT

FOR THE HOSTAGES
THAT WERE BEING HELD

IN THE U.S. EMBASSY IN TEHRAN.

THIS PARTICULAR MISSION WAS
PERHAPS THE MOST COMPLICATED

THAT WAS EVER ATTEMPTED
BY U.S. SPECIAL FORCES.

Narrator: ONE THING THAT MAKES
THE RESCUE SO COMPLICATED--

THE EMBASSY'S LOCATION.

TEHRAN AND ITS SUBURBS

ARE SURROUNDED
BY MORE THAN 700 MILES OF SAND.

Connor:
THE DISTANCES WERE SO GREAT,

THERE WAS
NO HELICOPTER AVAILABLE

THAT COULD COVER
THE DISTANCE IN ONE HOP.

Narrator: GETTING THE CHOPPERS
DIRECTLY INTO THE CITY

SEEMS LIKE AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK,

SO COMMANDERS COME UP
WITH A DARING STRATEGY--

MARINE PILOTS WILL USE THE EMPTY
DESERT TO THEIR ADVANTAGE.

Connor: THE SOLUTION WAS
TO CREATE A REFUELING POINT

OUT IN THE DESERT,

MANY HUNDREDS OF MILES
OUT IN THE DESERT FROM TEHRAN.

Narrator: THE REFUELING LOCATION
IS TOP SECRET,

ITS CODE NAME--DESERT ONE.

Connor: AT DESERT ONE, AIR FORCE
C-130s WOULD BRING IN FUEL

FOR THE MARINE HELICOPTER CREWS,

WHICH WOULD THEN STAGE
TO ANOTHER SITE

IN PREPARATION FOR THE TRANSPORT
OF THE HOSTAGES.

Narrator: THE MISSION INVOLVES

OVER 100 U.S. TROOPS
AND A DOZEN AIRCRAFT.

Connor:
IT WAS ESSENTIALLY TURNING

MUCH OF CENTRAL
AND NORTHERN IRAN

INTO A COMPLEX CHESSBOARD,

MOVING THESE PIECES AROUND
OVER ABOUT A 48-HOUR PERIOD.

Narrator: IT'S A RISKY PLAN,
BUT THE MISSION NEEDS TO WORK.

AMERICAN LIVES DEPEND ON IT.

APRIL 24, 1980.

AT TWILIGHT, EIGHT HELICOPTERS
TAKE OFF FROM THE USS NIMITZ,

HEADED FOR DESERT ONE.

NOT LONG INTO THEIR FLIGHT, TWO
OF THEM NOTICE SOMETHING WRONG.

Connor: OF THE EIGHT AIRCRAFT
THAT WERE SENT IN,

TWO HAD TO ABORT ON THE WAY.

THEY RAN INTO, ESSENTIALLY,

A SANDSTORM
THAT CAUSED SOME PROBLEMS.

Narrator:
ONLY SIX CHOPPERS ARE LEFT.

FOUR HOURS AFTER TAKEOFF,
THEY FINALLY ARRIVE,

BUT THEIR TROUBLE
IS FAR FROM OVER.

Connor:
ANOTHER AIRCRAFT UPON ARRIVAL

AT DESERT ONE WAS DAMAGED.

AT THAT POINT,

ONLY FIVE OF THE EIGHT AIRCRAFT
WERE AVAILABLE.

THAT WAS BELOW THE MINIMUM

CONSIDERED NECESSARY
TO COMPLETE THE MISSION.

AND SO AT THAT POINT,

A DECISION WAS MADE
TO ABORT THE MISSION.

Narrator: AS THE MILITARY
SCRAMBLES TO GET EVERYONE OUT,

THE UNTHINKABLE OCCURS.

Connor: AS ONE OF THE
HELICOPTERS WAS REPOSITIONING,

IT DRIFTED IN THE DARKNESS
INTO THE WING OF A C-130.

Narrator: MILITARY PERSONNEL
FRANTICALLY EVACUATE

USING THE SURVIVING C-130s.

THEY LEAVE FIVE DAMAGED
CHOPPERS BEHIND...

AND SOMETHING MUCH WORSE.

Carter: TO MY DEEP REGRET,
EIGHT OF THE CREWMEN

OF THE TWO AIRCRAFT
WHICH COLLIDED WERE KILLED,

AND SEVERAL OTHER AMERICANS
WERE HURT IN THE ACCIDENT.

Narrator: THE FAILED OPERATION
HUMILIATES AMERICA,

AND ESPECIALLY THE MARINES.

IF THEY'D BEEN FLYING
A BETTER AIRCRAFT,

THINGS MIGHT
HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT.

Jack Dailey:
DESERT ONE ACTUALLY CONFIRMED

WHAT THE MARINE CORPS
HAD BELIEVED ALL ALONG

AND FOR MANY YEARS.

WE NEEDED A HIGH-SPEED,
LONG-RANGE AIRCRAFT

WITH A VERTICAL TAKEOFF
CAPABILITY.

IF WE'D HAD ONE AT THAT TIME,

IT WOULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE
TO EXECUTE THAT MISSION

IN ONE NIGHT
AND BE OUT OF THERE.

Narrator: THE PENTAGON AGREES.

IN DECEMBER 1981,

THEY START THE JOINT SERVICE
VERTICAL TAKEOFF

AND LANDING EXPERIMENTAL
PROGRAM--

JVX FOR SHORT.

Connor: THE JVX PROGRAM WAS
LAUNCHED TO CREATE

A NEW TYPE OF JOINT VERTICAL
TAKEOFF AND LANDING AIRCRAFT

THAT COULD BE USED ACROSS
DIFFERENT MILITARY SERVICES.

Narrator: EACH BRANCH
OF THE ARMED FORCES

CONTRIBUTES $4.5 MILLION.

Connor: THE ARMY WANTED A NEW
ELECTRONIC WARFARE AIRCRAFT.

THE NAVY WAS LOOKING FOR
A NEW FLEET SUPPORT AIRCRAFT,

AND THE AIR FORCE
WANTED A NEW AIRCRAFT

FOR THEIR SPECIAL MISSIONS
CAPABILITY.

Narrator: THE MARINES WANT THE
JVX EVEN MORE THAN THE OTHERS.

THEY'VE BEEN FIGHTING
FOR A LONG-RANGE CHOPPER

FOR OVER 20 YEARS.

Connor: ONE OF THE KEY
DEVELOPMENTS DURING THE 1960s

WAS THE INCREASED USE

OF WHAT ARE KNOWN
AS ANTI-SHIPPING MISSILES.

THESE ARE LAND-BASED MISSILES

THAT ARE DESIGNED TO ATTACK
SHIPS SOME DISTANCE OFFSHORE.

THIS REALLY COMPLICATED
THE MARINE CORPS DOCTRINE

OF AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT.

Narrator: THE NEW MISSILES
FORCE THE MARINES

TO ANCHOR
FARTHER OUT TO SEA--

TOO FAR FOR THEIR
CH-46 CHOPPERS TO BE EFFECTIVE.

Connor: THE CH-46 SEA KNIGHT

WAS A VERY CAPABLE HELICOPTER
FOR THE TIME,

BUT WITH THE ADVENT
OF ANTI-SHIPPING MISSILES,

THIS AIRCRAFT REALLY STRUGGLED
TO DELIVER MARINES

TO THE DESTINATIONS
THAT THEY NEEDED TO BE.

Narrator:
THE MARINES PRIDE THEMSELVES

ON BEING AMERICA'S
FIRST RESPONDERS,

BUT WITHOUT A BETTER AIRCRAFT
TO GET THEM TO THE BATTLEFIELD,

THEY HAVE NO WAY
TO MEET THEIR MISSION.

Connor: THE MARINES
WERE HIGHLY DEPENDENT

UPON THE SUCCESS
OF THE JVX PROGRAM.

THEIR EXISTING FLEET OF AIRCRAFT
WAS BEGINNING TO AGE.

IT DID NOT HAVE THE CAPABILITY
THAT THEY REALLY NEEDED

TO HAVE SUCCESSFUL OPERATIONS.

Narrator: CONGRESS ISSUES
A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS.

ONLY ONE COMES IN--

A COLLABORATION BETWEEN BELL
HELICOPTER AND BOEING AIRCRAFT.

Connor: BELL HELICOPTERS
WAS VERY EXPERIENCED

IN BUILDING SMALLER HELICOPTERS,

BUT THEY WERE NOT
PARTICULARLY EXPERIENCED

IN BUILDING
LARGE TRANSPORT HELICOPTERS.

BOEING WAS VERY EXPERIENCED
IN THIS FIELD,

AND SO BELL PARTNERED
WITH BOEING.

Narrator: MAY 23, 1988.

ARLINGTON, TEXAS.

BELL BOEING SPARES NO EXPENSE

FOR THE DEBUT
OF THEIR PIONEERING DESIGN.

WHEN THE V-22 OSPREY ROLLS OUT,

TOP GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS
AND A CROWD OF 1,600 PEOPLE

WITNESS THE HISTORIC MOMENT.

FEW IN THE WORLD HAVE EVER SEEN
SUCH A STRANGE-LOOKING AIRCRAFT.

THE FIRST THING
THAT PILOTS NOTICE

IS THE OSPREY'S UNIQUE
ROTOR AND WING SYSTEM,

DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY
FOR MARINE TRANSPORT.

Sing: IN ORDER TO REDUCE
THE FOOTPRINT OF THE AIRCRAFT

TO SOMETHING
THAT WILL FIT ON THE SHIPS,

WHAT WE TRY TO DO
IS GET THE AIRCRAFT DOWN

TO JUST AS WIDE
AS YOU CAN SEE HERE

WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING HEAD-ON.

Narrator: THE WIDTH
OF THE OSPREY EXTENDS 84 FEET,

BUT IN AN INSTANT,
THE OSPREY CHANGES SHAPE.

WITH THE NACELLES
IN A 90-DEGREE POSITION,

THE ROTOR BLADES FOLD INWARD.

ROTATE THE NACELLES AGAIN,

AND THE ENTIRE WING
TURNS 90 DEGREES

IN LINE WITH THE BODY
OF THE OSPREY.

THE TRANSFORMATION IS COMPLETE
IN 90 SECONDS OR LESS.

THE STOWED WIDTH
IS A MERE 18 1/2 FEET.

Sing: IT'S EXTREMELY FUNCTIONAL
FOR US ON THE BOAT.

BY THE TIME WE LAND, SHUT DOWN,
AND FOLD THE AIRCRAFT,

USUALLY YOUR TOW CREWS
ARE ALREADY HOOKED UP

AND STARTING TO DRAG YOU
OFF THE SPOT.

Narrator: THE OSPREY FLIES
AT TWICE THE SPEED

OF ANY OTHER MILITARY
HELICOPTER--

UP TO 316 MILES PER HOUR.

THAT'S THANKS TO TWO
6,150-HORSEPOWER

ROLLS-ROYCE ENGINES.

Sing:
AS FAR AS THE AMOUNT OF POWER

THAT THE AIRCRAFT PROVIDES,

IF YOU'RE STANDING BELOW
THE AIRCRAFT WHEN WE TAKE OFF,

IT WOULD BE THE EQUIVALENT

OF STANDING IN ABOUT
AN 80 TO 100-MILE-AN-HOUR WIND,

SO THERE'S A LOT OF FORCE
THAT'S CREATED BY THESE ENGINES.

THEY'RE EXTREMELY POWERFUL.

Narrator: POWERFUL ENGINES GET
THE OSPREY TO THE FIGHT FAST,

AND POWERFUL WEAPONS
PROTECT IT ONCE IT'S THERE.

SHOULD IT COME UNDER FIRE,
THE OSPREY'S MAIN DEFENSE

IS EITHER A .50-CALIBER
OR 7.62-MM MACHINE GUN.

IT LOOKS LIKE THE JVX PROGRAM
HAS DELIVERED THE GOODS,

BUT ALL THIS FANCY TECHNOLOGY
COMES AT A PRICE.

WHEN IT DEBUTS, THE OSPREY
IS ALREADY A $2 BILLION PROGRAM.

MANUFACTURERS CALCULATE
FUTURE COSTS

WILL SKYROCKET
TO 15 TIMES MORE.

THE MARINES ARE DESPERATE
FOR THE OSPREY

AND CONFIDENT THE AIRCRAFT
WILL BE WORTH THE PRICE.

BUT THE ARMY REVIEWS THE PROGRAM
AND DROPS OUT.

Dailey: THEY WERE DOING A MAJOR
RESTRUCTURING MODERNIZATION

OF THEIR ENTIRE
HELICOPTER FLEET.

IT WAS ESSENTIALLY
A BUDGET DECISION FOR THEM.

Narrator: WITH THE LARGEST
BRANCH OF THE SERVICE

OUT OF THE PICTURE,

THE BURDEN TO FUND THE PROGRAM

NOW FALLS ON THE BACK
OF THE SMALLEST--THE MARINES.

Connor:
WHEN THE ARMY DROPPED OUT,

IT GREATLY INCREASED
THE UNIT COST OF THE OSPREY

FOR THE MARINE CORPS.

Narrator: THE OSPREY'S RISING
COSTS ALSO SCORE SOME ENEMIES,

INCLUDING THE NEW SECRETARY
OF DEFENSE, DICK CHENEY.

Dailey:
THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

WAS LOOKING FOR A PROGRAM
TO KILL AT THAT TIME,

A MAJOR PROGRAM,

AND MR. CHENEY WAS ADVISED

THAT THE OSPREY
WOULD BE A GOOD ONE TO KILL.

Narrator: THE MARINES FIND
THEMSELVES BATTLING

TO DEFEND THEIR PROGRAM,

BUT NO SOONER
HAS THE FIGHT STARTED

THAN THE WORLD SEES THIS.

Narrator: THIS IS
THE MAIDEN TEST FLIGHT

OF OSPREY PROTOTYPE NUMBER FIVE.

MIRACULOUSLY
THE TWO MEN INSIDE ESCAPE,

BUT THE AIRCRAFT
IS COMPLETELY DESTROYED.

QUESTIONS QUICKLY ARISE.

WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED
SUCH A DEVASTATING CRASH

JUST MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF?

A POSTMORTEM REVEALS
THAT THE FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM

HAD BEEN MIS-WIRED.

EXAMINATION OF OSPREY
PROTOTYPES ONE AND THREE

REVEAL A SIMILAR PROBLEM.

BELL BOEING RUSHES TO CORRECT IT
AND PROMISES TO DO BETTER.

ACCOUNTABILITY ISSUES.

COST OVERRUNS.

THE OSPREY LOOKS LIKE A BIRD

WITH ITS HEAD
ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK.

Dailey: ANYTIME YOU HAVE
A PROBLEM IN A PROGRAM,

EVERYBODY STARTS LOOKING
TO TAKE YOUR MONEY

AND MOVE IT SOMEWHERE ELSE.

Narrator: BUT THE MARINES
HAVE WAITED A LONG TIME

FOR THIS AIRCRAFT.

THEY WON'T GIVE IT UP EASILY.

THEIR VERY REASON FOR EXISTENCE
DEPENDS ON THE NEW TECHNOLOGY.

WITHOUT A NEW CHOPPER, THEY
CAN'T BE FIRST TO THE FIGHT.

Dailey: WE EVENTUALLY
GOT TO THE POINT

WHERE WE HAD ALL OUR EGGS
IN ONE BASKET,

AND IT WAS THE OSPREY.

WE HAD TO HAVE IT.

Narrator: THE WHITE HOUSE AND
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE DICK CHENEY

DON'T SEE THINGS THE SAME WAY.

Cheney: WE DON'T WANT
TO BUILD THE V-22.

WE WANT TO GO BACK
TO A MORE CONVENTIONAL APPROACH.

Narrator: THE MARINES
PRESS CONGRESS FOR SUPPORT.

CONGRESS DELIVERS,

THREATENING TO SLAP CHENEY
WITH A LAWSUIT

FOR SHUTTING THE OSPREY DOWN.

Dailey: CONGRESS HAS ALWAYS
BEEN OUR FRIEND,

BECAUSE I THINK PEOPLE RECOGNIZE
THAT THE MARINE CORPS

GIVES THEM THE MAXIMUM BANG
FOR THEIR BUCK.

AND WHEN YOU INVEST MONEY
IN THE MARINES, THEY PRODUCE.

Narrator: THE THREAT WORKS.
CHENEY BACKS DOWN.

AFTER THREE YEARS IN LIMBO,

THE OSPREY PROGRAM
IS BACK IN DEVELOPMENT.

IT SEEMS LIKE THE MARINES
ARE FINALLY ON THEIR WAY

TO GETTING
THE LONG-AWAITED AIRCRAFT,

BUT THE CELEBRATIONS
ARE SHORT-LIVED.

JULY 20, 1992.

THE MARINE AIR FACILITY
IN QUANTICO, VIRGINIA.

ONE OF FIVE OSPREY PROTOTYPES
UNDERGOES FLIGHT TESTING.

ABOUT A HALF A MILE
FROM THE RUNWAY,

THE OSPREY SUDDENLY DROPS...

RIGHT INTO THE POTOMAC RIVER.

Dailey: IT WAS CLEAR
THAT NOBODY WAS GOING TO GET OUT

UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES
THE WAY IT WENT IN.

Narrator: THREE MARINE PILOTS
AND FOUR BOEING CONTRACTORS DIE.

THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

GROUNDS
THE FOUR REMAINING OSPREYS

WHILE THEY LOOK FOR THE CAUSE.

Dailey: OIL HAD BEEN LEAKING
INTO THE NACELLE,

AND WHEN THEY
ROTATED THE NACELLE

TO THE VERTICAL POSITION,

THE ENGINE INGESTED THE OIL,

HAD A FLASH FIRE,
AND IT CRASHED.

Narrator: THE OSPREY PROGRAM
REELS FROM THE TRAGEDY.

CONGRESS THREATENS
TO WITHDRAW SUPPORT.

Man: IF IT'S A SYSTEM PROBLEM
IN THE TECHNOLOGY,

THEN IT COULD MEAN MAJOR
PROBLEMS FOR THE PROGRAM.

Narrator: A MONTH LATER,

THE OSPREY
BECOMES A CAMPAIGN ISSUE.

PRESIDENT BUSH'S SECRETARY
OF DEFENSE DICK CHENEY

IS STILL LUKEWARM
ON THE AIRCRAFT.

BUSH'S CHALLENGER,
ARKANSAS GOVERNOR BILL CLINTON,

SUPPORTS IT.

Bill Clinton: WE'RE GOING
TO HAVE TO SPEND MORE MONEY

IN THE FUTURE
ON MILITARY TECHNOLOGY

AND ON GREATER MOBILITY,

GREATER AIRLIFT,
GREATER SEALIFT--

THE V-22 AIRPLANE.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO SOME
THINGS THAT ARE QUITE COSTLY.

Narrator:
CLINTON WINS THE ELECTION,

AND OSPREY SUPPORTERS
BREATHE A SIGH OF RELIEF.

THE PROGRAM'S CONSIDERED A LOCK.

Connor: THE OSPREY
HAD A ROLLER COASTER RIDE

OF POLITICAL TURMOIL
AND MEDIA SCRUTINY.

DURING
THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION,

THINGS BEGAN TO TURN AROUND.

Narrator: THE OSPREY PROGRAM
BEGINS EIGHT YEARS

OF OPERATIONAL
AND EVALUATION TESTING,

BUT JUST A MONTH BEFORE
THEY COMPLETE THOSE TESTS,

AN IMPENDING DISASTER MIGHT END

THE MARINES' QUEST
FOR THE TILT-ROTOR

ONCE AND FOR ALL.

APRIL.

YUMA, ARIZONA.

THE OSPREY TAKES OFF
ON AN EVALUATION MISSION

TO SHOW
HOW IT PERFORMS IN COMBAT.

IT DOESN'T GET FAR.

Man on radio: OH, MY GOD!
THEY WENT DOWN! THEY CRASHED!

Rock: THE YEAR 2000
WAS A PRETTY TERRIBLE YEAR

FOR ANYBODY WHO HAD ANYTHING
TO DO WITH THE V-22 OSPREY.

WE HAD TWO MISHAPS,
TRAGIC MISHAPS.

News reporter:
STILL VERY FEW DETAILS

COMING OUT OF THE PENTAGON
THIS MORNING

ABOUT THAT CRASH
THAT KILLED 19 MARINES--

15 COMBAT TROOPS
AND 4 CREWMEMBERS.

Narrator: THE OSPREY IS CLEARED
FROM MECHANICAL FAULT.

INVESTIGATORS FIND THAT THE
AIRCRAFT DESCENDED TOO QUICKLY

AT TOO LOW AN AIRSPEED.

PILOTS ATTEMPTED
TO INCREASE POWER

AND THREW THE OSPREY
INTO A DEADLY STALL.

THE MARINE CORPS IS SHAKEN.

THE PRIZE
THEY FOUGHT SO HARD FOR

NOW HAS 26 FATALITIES
TO ITS NAME.

Rock: IT WAS A VERY DARK TIME.

A LOT OF SOUL SEARCHING,
I THINK, FOR ANYONE

WHO HAD ANYTHING TO DO
WITH THE PROGRAM.

Narrator:
IN DECEMBER, IT GETS WORSE.

A ROUTINE TRAINING MISSION
IN NORTH CAROLINA

GOES TERRIBLY WRONG.

FOUR MORE MARINES
LOSE THEIR LIVES.

THIS TIME,
A LEAK IN A HYDRAULIC LINE

SET OFF A CHAIN
OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS,

CAUSING THE PILOT
TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT.

SPECULATIONS SWIRL
ON THE OSPREY'S RELIABILITY.

THE MARINES WHO DIED WERE AMONG
THEIR MOST EXPERIENCED PILOTS.

Dailey:
ONCE THOSE MARINES WERE KILLED,

THE WHOLE GAME CHANGED
IN TERMS OF--

EVERYBODY WAS SAYING,
"WAIT A MINUTE.

IS THIS THE AIRPLANE
WE NEED TO DEVELOP?"

Narrator: THE SECRETARY
OF DEFENSE IMMEDIATELY CALLS

FOR A PANEL OF EXPERTS
TO INVESTIGATE

WHAT SOME NOW CALL
"THE WIDOW-MAKER."

Dailey: I MET
WITH THE COMMANDANT, AND I SAID,

"WE'RE GOING TO GET THE TRUTH.

NO MATTER HOW IT COMES OUT,
WE'RE GOING TO PRESENT IT."

HE SAID, "THAT'S EXACTLY
WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO."

Narrator:
THE PANEL IS DETERMINED

TO PREVENT ANY MORE DEATHS,

EVEN IF IT MEANS
KILLING THE OSPREY ITSELF.

APRIL 19, 2001.

WASHINGTON, D.C.

THE BLUE RIBBON COMMITTEE
RELEASES ITS FINDINGS.

Dailey: WE FOUND NO EVIDENCE

OF AN INHERENT SAFETY FLAW
IN THE V-22 TILT-ROTOR CONCEPT.

THE AIRPLANE WAS
FOUND TO BE GUILTLESS

IN TERMS OF WHAT HAD BEEN
HAPPENING WITH IT.

IT WAS NOT THE PERFORMANCE
OR THE TECHNICAL CAPABILITIES

OF THE AIRPLANE
THAT WERE AT FAULT.

Narrator: THE FAULT DOESN'T LIE
WITH THE MACHINE,

BUT RATHER,
WITH POOR PILOT TRAINING.

Dailey: WE HAD UNDERESTIMATED
SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS

FOR PREPARING CREWS
TO OPERATE THIS AIRCRAFT.

IT IMMEDIATELY
GAVE US A WAKE-UP CALL

THAT WE HAD TO THINK MORE ABOUT
THE PREPARATION OF THESE CREWS.

Narrator: THE PANEL RECOMMENDS
A SERIES OF REDESIGNS.

THE AIM--
TO MAKE THE OSPREY EASIER

FOR PILOTS AND MAINTAINERS
TO OPERATE.

Dailey: THEY COMPLETELY
REDESIGNED THE NACELLE

TO MAKE IT BIGGER
AND MORE ACCESSIBLE,

MORE INSPECTION PANELS
IN PLACES WHERE YOU COULD SEE,

WHERE YOU COULDN'T SEE BEFORE.

Narrator:
THE PANEL ALSO RECOMMENDS

MORE RIGOROUS PREPARATION
FOR PILOTS AND MAINTAINERS.

NOW THE MARINES SEND
THEIR OSPREY CREWS

TO THE PRESTIGIOUS
TRAINING SQUADRON, MAWTS-1.

Eric Robinson: MAWTS STANDS FOR

MARINE AVIATION WEAPONS
AND TACTICS SQUADRON 1.

IT IS THE MARINE CORPS
WEAPONS SCHOOL,

VERY SIMILAR TO THINGS
LIKE NAVY'S TOP GUN

OR THE AIR FORCE
WEAPONS SCHOOL.

Narrator: MAWTS-1 MOTTO IS

"TODAY'S STUDENT.
TOMORROW'S LEADER."

IN BETWEEN, THEY MAKE IT TOUGH.

Robinson: IT IS THE HARDEST
THING I'VE HAD TO DO

IN MY MARINE CORPS CAREER,
GOING THROUGH WTI AS A STUDENT.

Narrator: IN THE GRUELING
EIGHT-WEEK COURSE,

CREWS LEARN
EVERYTHING THERE IS TO KNOW

ABOUT THE OSPREY
AND ITS CAPABILITIES.

BUT TRAINING AND COMBAT
ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.

THE OSPREY HAS YET TO BE TESTED
IN BATTLE.

SEPTEMBER 10, 2007.

IRAQ.

OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM RAGES
INTO ITS FOURTH YEAR.

FROM INSIDE FALLUJAH,

4,000 MARINES TRY TO WIN BACK
THE REST OF AL ANBAR PROVINCE.

TO DO THAT,
THEY NEED TO GAIN CONTROL

OF AN AREA COVERING
53,000 SQUARE MILES.

Rock:
THERE WAS JUST A HIGH DEMAND

FOR GETTING MARINES
ALL OVER THE BATTLEFIELD,

A LOT OF DEMAND

FOR EXACTLY THE KIND OF THING
THAT THE V-22 OFFERED.

Narrator: IT'S THE MOMENT THE
MARINES HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR--

TIME TO SHOW THE WORLD

THE TRUE NATURE
OF THEIR $69 MILLION BIRD.

Rock: WE HAD BEEN TRAINING
WITH THE AIRCRAFT

FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.

WE FELT LIKE WE WERE READY,
AND WE KNEW IT WAS COMING.

THAT'S WHAT WE PREPARED FOR.
WE WERE READY TO GO.

Narrator:
TEN OSPREYS SET SAIL FOR IRAQ

ABOARD THE USS WASP.

EXCITEMENT IS HIGH
AMONG PILOTS AND CREWS,

BUT HALFWAY THERE, THE CREW
GETS SOME DEVASTATING NEWS.

Narrator:
AFTER 18 YEARS OF TESTING,

THE V-22 IS FINALLY ON ITS WAY
TO MAKE ITS COMBAT DEBUT,

BUT THE CELEBRATION
IS SHORT-LIVED.

MARINES ON THEIR WAY TO IRAQ
SEE THIS--

TIME MAGAZINE FEATURES

THE OSPREY'S MISHAPS
AND COST OVERRUNS

ON ITS COVER.

IT SEEMS AS IF
THE OSPREY'S FAILURE IN IRAQ

IS A FOREGONE CONCLUSION,

DISMISSED BEFORE IT'S EVEN HAD
A CHANCE TO GET IN THE FIGHT.

Rock: THE TIME MAGAZINE COVER
THAT CAME OUT

WHILE WE HAD ALREADY
EMBARKED ABOARD SHIP

AND WERE SAILING OVER TO IRAQ

WAS NOT PARTICULARLY
WELL-RECEIVED.

WE SAW IT AS, YOU KNOW,

IT WAS SOMEWHAT INSULTING
AND ANNOYING.

Narrator: THE OSPREYS OF MARINE
MEDIUM TILT-ROTOR SQUADRON 263

ARRIVE IN IRAQ DETERMINED
TO PROVE THEIR WORTH.

COMMANDERS IMMEDIATELY
PUT THEM TO WORK.

DURING 19 MONTHS IN IRAQ,

THE OSPREYS SHUTTLE
OVER 45,000 TROOPS

AND HAUL 2.2 MILLION POUNDS
OF CARGO.

THEY'RE A LIFESAVER...
LITERALLY.

Rock: THE HISTORY BOOKS
ARE RIGHT

ABOUT THE IMPROVISED
EXPLOSIVE DEVICE THREAT IN IRAQ.

EVERY TIME YOU WERE
CARRYING SOMEBODY

FROM ONE POINT TO ANOTHER,

YOU WERE KEEPING THEM OFF
THE ROADS AND NOT EXPOSING THEM

TO THAT IMPROVISED
EXPLOSIVE DEVICE THREAT.

SO THAT WAS OUR MISSION,

AND THERE WAS NO SHORTAGE
OF A DEMAND FOR IT.

Narrator: BUT SOME ARGUE
THE OSPREY HAS BEEN BABIED

ON ITS FIRST DEPLOYMENT,

THAT IT'S NOTHING MORE THAN
A GLORIFIED FLYING SCHOOL BUS.

EVEN THE MARINES WONDER

HOW THE OSPREY SIZES UP
IN RISKIER COMBAT MISSIONS.

24 MONTHS LATER, THEY FIND OUT.

2009.

HELMAND PROVINCE, AFGHANISTAN.

THE UNITED STATES IS EIGHT YEARS
INTO OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM.

PRESIDENT OBAMA ORDERS
A SURGE OF 17,000 TROOPS

TO TURN THE TIDE
AGAINST THE TALIBAN.

THE FIGHT WEARS ON.

EVEN WITH THE ADDED BOOTS
ON THE GROUND,

THE U.S. MARINES
WAGE AN UPHILL BATTLE,

BUT ON ITS WAY IS ANOTHER WEAPON
TO HELP THEM IN THEIR FIGHT.-

THE V-22 OSPREY.

Anthony Bianca: THERE WERE
STILL SOME, I GUESS, SOME PEOPLE

THAT WEREN'T REALLY CONVINCED
ON OSPREY.

WE DEFINITELY
GOT EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION

WHEN WE FIRST BROUGHT
THE AIRPLANE IN.

THE MAG COMMANDER CAME IN,

HE LOCKED EYEBALLS WITH ME,
AND HE SAYS,

"EXPLOIT THE AIRPLANE
TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT."

Narrator:
CREWS ARE DESPERATE TO PROVE

THE OSPREY CAN TAKE ON
DICIER CHALLENGES,

SO DESPERATE THAT THE MARINES
ARE WILLING TO USE IT

ON ONE OF THEIR
BOLDEST MISSIONS YET.

100 MILES FROM THE MARINE
AIRFIELD IN CAMP BASTION,

A SMALL VILLAGE IS TAKEN OVER
BY A LOCAL WARLORD,

A SAFE HAVEN
FOR HIS DRUG OPERATION.

MONEY FROM POPPY SALES
FLOWS TO THE TALIBAN

TO BUY EQUIPMENT AND WEAPONS--

WEAPONS USED TO KILL
AMERICAN TROOPS.

THE MARINES
AIM TO STOP THE DRUG NETWORK

BY TAKING OUT ITS LEADERSHIP.

Bianca: WE HAD TO TAKE OFF
THE TOP OF THE NETWORK

SO THE PEOPLE
WHO DON'T NORMALLY COMMUNICATE

WITH ANYONE
BUT THE TOP OF THE NETWORK

LOSE THAT MODE
OF COMMUNICATION,

SO YOU'VE DISRUPTED
THAT NETWORK CELL.

Narrator: THE PLAN--

TO FLY TO THE CENTER
OF THE REMOTE VILLAGE

AND INSERT 100 MARINES
TO CAPTURE THE WARLORD

IN BROAD DAYLIGHT.

Bianca: OPERATION FAS LANDRY
WAS A DAYLIGHT SNATCH

FROM A LITTLE BAZAAR
RESTAURANT AREA

THAT THIS PARTICULAR TARGET
HAD BEEN KNOWN TO FREQUENT,

AND WE WANTED TO GO IN THERE
AND DO IT IN HIS OWN BACKYARD.

HERE WE ARE,
AND YOU'RE COMING WITH US.

Narrator:
THE OPERATION IS RISKY.

THE TALIBAN HAS BEEN TIMING
U.S. AIRCRAFT.

Bianca: ONE OF THE THINGS
THEY WERE DOING

WHEN WE FIRST GOT THERE
WAS PEOPLE AROUND THE AIRFIELDS

WOULD TELL OTHER PEOPLE
WHEN WE HAD LAUNCHED.

AND SO MR. TALIBAN CALLS
HIS BUDDY SAYING,

"HEY, THEY HEADED
THIS DIRECTION."

Narrator: UP UNTIL NOW,

IT SEEMS LIKE THE TALIBAN
HAVE HAD THE UPPER HAND.

Bianca: THIS PARTICULAR TARGET

BRAGGED ABOUT HOW THE AMERICANS
CAN'T GET US DOWN HERE.

"WE'RE SAFE.
THIS IS MY TURF."

VERY GANGLAND-LIKE.
YOU KNOW, "I RUN THIS PLACE."

Narrator: THE INSURGENTS KNOW
EXACTLY HOW FAR AND HOW FAST

THE AMERICANS CAN TRAVEL.

THEY'LL HAVE WEAPONS
AT THE READY,

AND MARINES KNOW IT.

Bianca: ANYWHERE YOU GO
IN AFGHANISTAN,

YOU'RE EXPECTING SOMEONE
TO SHOOT BACK AT YOU.

Narrator: THE MARINES ARE
BANKING ON THE OSPREY'S SPEED

ALLOWING THEM TO SLIP
BY THE TALIBAN'S LOOKOUTS.

Bianca:
MOTIVATION WAS VERY HIGH.

THERE'S ALWAYS A LEVEL OF FEAR,

AND WE WERE PREPARED
TO DEAL WITH IT.

Narrator: FOUR V-22s TAKE OFF,

HEADED STRAIGHT
INTO THE LION'S DEN.

IF THEY'RE SPOTTED
BY THE TALIBAN,

IT COULD BE GAME OVER.

THE MARINES ARRIVE
AT THE VILLAGE UNDETECTED,

THANKS TO ONE OF THE OSPREY'S
MOST SURPRISING QUALITIES.

Bianca: THE THING
ABOUT A V-22 PEOPLE FORGET

IS THAT IN AIRPLANE MODE,
IT'S VERY QUIET.

YOU CAN'T HEAR IT COME OVER,
EVEN IN LOW ALTITUDE.

Narrator: BUT THE MISSION
IS JUST GETTING STARTED.

THE OSPREYS STILL HAVE TO LAND,

AND EVEN IF THE TALIBAN
DOESN'T FIGHT BACK,

THE ENVIRONMENT WILL.

THE OSPREY'S MASSIVE ENGINES
TRANSPORT THE SHIP QUICKLY,

BUT THERE ARE DRAWBACKS
TO ITS POWER.

Bianca: IN THE MOON DUST
IN AFGHANISTAN,

IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN THERE,
IT'S TALCUM POWDER.

AND IF YOU BLOW JUST
A LITTLE BIT OF WIND ON THAT

BELOW 75 FEET
WITH OUR HIGH-INDUCED FLOW,

WHICH MEANS WE BLOW
A LOT OF AIR VERY FAST,

RELATIVE TO OTHER ROTORCRAFT,
WE KICKED UP A LOT OF DUST.

Narrator: THE OSPREY'S DESCENT

WHIPS UP A THICK WALL
OF DUST AND SAND.

IT'S A COMPLETE
BROWNOUT LANDING,

AND THE PILOTS
CAN'T SEE A THING.

Narrator: MARINE COLONEL
ANTHONY BIANCA FLIES BLIND

IN THE TORNADO OF DUST

WHIPPED UP
BY THE OSPREY'S ROTORS.

TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE.

THE MARINES RISK
LOSING THEIR TALIBAN TARGET,

OR WORSE, THEIR LIVES.

THEY CAN'T SEE A THING.

FOR MOST AIRCRAFT, IT WOULD BE
THE END OF THE MISSION,

BUT NOT FOR THE OSPREY.

IT CAN PRACTICALLY LAND ITSELF.

THAT'S BECAUSE THE OSPREY
IS BASICALLY A FLYING COMPUTER.

ITS ADVANCED AVIONICS HELP IT
LAND EVEN WHEN PILOTS CAN'T SEE.

THE OSPREY'S MOVEMENTS
ARE CONTROLLED

BY WHAT IS CALLED
A FLY-BY-WIRE SYSTEM.

USING SENSORS
ON THE OSPREY'S BODY,

THE SYSTEM CONSTANTLY
COLLECTS DATA

SUCH AS LOCATION,
AIRSPEED, AND ALTITUDE.

IT TRANSMITS THE DATA TO
THE OSPREY'S CENTRAL COMPUTER.

THEN THE FLY-BY-WIRE

ADJUSTS THE OSPREY'S MOVEMENTS
AUTOMATICALLY.

THE SYSTEM IS SO EXACT
THAT THE OSPREY CAN LAND

WITHIN ONE SQUARE METER
OF THE DESIRED LANDING ZONE.

Bianca: WHERE OTHER AIRCRAFT
WOULD HAVE TO WAIVE OFF

IN VERY DUSTY
OR DIFFICULT CONDITIONS,

BOOM, V-22 IS SAFE ON DECK.

Narrator: AS HE APPROACHES
THE AFGHAN VILLAGE,

COLONEL BIANCA
RELIES ON THE FLY-BY-WIRE

TO BRING HIS OSPREY IN.

HIS TARGET STILL HAS NO IDEA
HE'S BEING WATCHED.

Bianca: ALL WE HAVE TO DO
AT THAT POINT

IS CONCENTRATE ON LANDING.

Narrator: THE PILOT CHOOSES
THE MOMENT CAREFULLY.

ONCE THE OSPREY TOUCHES DOWN,
THINGS WILL MOVE QUICKLY.

Bianca: ONCE WE CHANGED
THE RPMs ON THE PROP ROTORS

TO GO TO HELICOPTER MODE,

IT MAKES A VERY LOUD NOISE,

AND THAT'S THE FIRST
THEY EVER HEARD OF US.

Narrator:
IN JUST A MATTER OF SECONDS,

THE OSPREYS DROP
TO THE GROUND

AND UNLOAD
THE 100 WELL-ARMED MARINES.

Bianca: THE V-22 LANDS
RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE.

PUT IT RIGHT IN THE GATE.

GRUNTS GOT OUT, OPENED UP
THE GATE, WALKED RIGHT THROUGH.

YOU KNOW, PAY YOUR CHECK,
YOU'RE COMING WITH US,

AND THAT'S HOW WE GOT THEM.

Narrator: THE WARLORD
NEVER STANDS A CHANCE.

IN UNDER FIVE MINUTES,

HE'S IN CUSTODY
AND SITTING IN THE OSPREY.

Bianca: WE PUT 100 MARINES
ON THE GROUND

INSIDE OF A HANDFUL
OF MINUTES

AND SURPRISED
THE DAYLIGHTS OUT OF EVERYONE

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY.

Narrator:
THE CAPTURE IS A TRIUMPH

FOR MARINES IN AFGHANISTAN.

A DEADLY THREAT TO THEIR MISSION
IS LOCKED AWAY,

ALL THANKS TO THE OSPREY.

THE OSPREY GOES ON
TO FLY OVER 14,000 FLIGHT HOURS

DURING
OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM.

Bianca: THE OSPREY WORKS,

AND NOT ONLY DOES IT WORK,

BUT WHEN OTHER PEOPLE
GAIN THE EFFECT,

THE OPERATIONAL CAPABILITIES
OF AN OSPREY,

THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT.

Narrator: AFGHANISTAN
IS A GAME-CHANGER.

NO LONGER IS THE OSPREY
KNOWN AS A DEATH TRAP.

NOW IT'S KNOWN FOR CAPTURE
AND STEALTH BEHIND ENEMY LINES--

SKILLS THAT WILL SOON GET PUT
TO AN EVEN MORE IMPORTANT TEST--

SAVING AN AMERICAN LIFE.

MARCH 2011.

THE USS KEARSARGE,

JUST OFF THE COAST OF LIBYA.

THE 26th MARINE
EXPEDITIONARY UNIT

TAKES PART IN AN INTERNATIONAL
MILITARY OPERATION

AGAINST LIBYAN DICTATOR
MUAMMAR QADDAFI.

LATE AT NIGHT, TWO OSPREY CREWS
GET AN URGENT CALL.

AN F-15 PILOT HAS CRASHED
BEHIND ENEMY LINES.

HE'S ALIVE.

THE MARINES' MISSION--
RESCUE HIM.

Joseph Andrejack: THE MARINE
CORPS DOES WHAT'S CALLED

TRAP OR TACTICAL RECOVERY
OF AIRCRAFT AND PERSONNEL.

THE TWO MAIN PREREQUISITES
THAT WE NEED

ARE THE LOCATION KNOWN
OF THE POTENTIAL SURVIVOR

AND REASONABLE CERTAINTY
THAT THE SURVIVOR'S ALIVE.

Narrator:
INTELLIGENCE PLACES THE PILOT

AT A LOCATION
150 MILES FROM THE SHIP.

THE OSPREY WILL
HAVE TO RELY ON ITS SPEED

TO GET IN AND OUT QUICKLY.

QADDAFI'S AIR-DEFENSE GUNS AND
MISSILES ARE A VERY REAL THREAT.

Andrejack: OUR FLIGHT
FROM THE BOAT TO LIBYA ITSELF

LASTED ABOUT 30 MINUTES,

AND THEN ONCE WE WERE
FEET DRY OVER LIBYA,

IT WAS ABOUT ANOTHER 10 MINUTES
TO WHERE THE PILOT WAS LOCATED.

Narrator:
COORDINATES LEAD THE OSPREY

RIGHT INTO ENEMY TERRITORY.

BUT IF THE MARINES
KNOW THE PILOT'S LOCATION,

THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE
THAT THE ENEMY DOES, TOO.

Andrejack: OBVIOUSLY IN AN
UNCERTAIN SITUATION LIKE THIS,

THERE'S SOME AMOUNT
OF WORRY HAPPENING,

FLYING INTO
A VERY UNCERTAIN SCENARIO.

Narrator: THE OSPREY DROPS DOWN

JUST 100 FEET AWAY
FROM THE PILOT.

15 RECON MARINES
IMMEDIATELY RUSH INTO POSITION.

FOR THE DOWNED PILOT,

THEIR ARRIVAL
IS A WELCOME SIGHT.

Pilot: AS THAT BACK DOOR OPENED,

I SEE A GROUP OF YOUNG MARINE
RECON UNITS JUMP OUT,

AND THAT WAS
PROBABLY THE BEST FEELING

I'VE EVER FELT
IN MY ENTIRE LIFE.

Narrator: THE OSPREY
RESCUES THE PILOT

BEFORE QADDAFI'S FORCES
EVEN KNOW IT WAS THERE.

Andrejack: HE WAS ON THE BACK
OF THE AIRCRAFT

WITHIN A MATTER OF SECONDS,

AND WE WERE AIRBORNE AGAIN
WITHIN A MINUTE AND A HALF.

Narrator: IT'S THE FIRST TIME
THE MARINE CORPS USES THE OSPREY

FOR WHAT'S CALLED
A LIVE TRAP RESCUE,

AND AFTER ITS PERFORMANCE,
IT SURELY WON'T BE THE LAST.

Andrejack: THE OSPREY
IS NOT NECESSARILY DESIGNED

FOR PERSONNEL RECOVERY OR TRAP,

BUT WHAT I CAN TELL YOU
IS THE OSPREY DOES IT FASTER.

WE DID IT SOMEWHERE
ON THE ORDER OF TWICE AS FAST

AS THE NEXT CAPABLE ROTARY-WING
PLATFORM COULD HAVE DONE.

Narrator: MARINES NOW TREAT
THE OSPREY LIKE PROVEN STAR.

AFTER 14 OPERATIONAL DEPLOYMENTS
AND 100,000 FLIGHT HOURS,

IT HAS THE LOWEST MISHAP RATE
OF ANY MARINE AIRCRAFT.

THE AIRCRAFT IS SO SAFE
THAT IN 2013,

IT'S CHOSEN FOR ITS
MOST PRESTIGIOUS MISSION YET--

HMX-1,

THE PRESIDENTIAL
HELICOPTER SQUADRON

RESPONSIBLE FOR TRANSPORTING

WHITE HOUSE STAFF
AND OTHER VIPs.

Bianca: THE OSPREY'S PLACEMENT
IN HMX-1

IS ABSOLUTELY A DEMONSTRATION

OF THE TRUST AND CONFIDENCE
IN THE PLATFORM.

THAT'S NOT A MISSION
YOU TAKE LIGHTLY.

Narrator:
OVER THE PAST THREE DECADES,

THE V-22 OSPREY HAS SEEN IT ALL.

IT ESCAPED THE POLITICAL
CHOPPING BLOCK,

OUTLIVED ITS REPUTATION
AS A WIDOW-MAKER,

AND TRANSFORMED ITSELF
INTO A BATTLE-WORTHY VETERAN.

BOTH FRIENDS AND ENEMIES ALIKE
KNOW THE OSPREY CAN REACH THEM

ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD
AT ANY TIME.

Bianca: I HAVE MARINES
THAT CAN MAINTAIN THEM.

I'VE GOT PILOTS THAT CAN
FLY THE DAYLIGHTS OUT OF THEM.

I CAN GO ANYWHERE YOU WANT,
ANYTIME YOU WANT,

WITH ANYTHING YOU WANT,

AND I'M GOING TO BRING WITH IT
A MARINE CORPS ATTITUDE

AND THAT TYPE OF CAPABILITY.

Narrator:
IT'S ALTERED THE LANDSCAPE

OF MILITARY AVIATION.

WITH UNRIVALED CAPABILITIES

AND UNMATCHED VERSATILITY,

THE V-22 OSPREY CONTINUES
TO COMMAND THE BATTLEFIELD.