The insertion of Spanish Marines in Poland using USMC MV-22B Osprey

@DefAviation ES 6·26·2024 · 21:06 0

Recent NATO's Baltops 24 exercise in the Baltic Sea has included collaboration between two of the allied Marine Infantry Corps.

The marine infantry forces of NATO countries, their age and size
The deployment of Spanish Harrier IIs on the American amphibious assault ship USS Wasp

On June 16, Spanish Marines belonging to the Tercio de Armada carried out an airborne insertion exercise in Wicko Morskie, in northern Poland. On this occasion, the insertion was done using MV-22B Osprey converter planes of the United States Marine Corps (USMC). On June 17, the General Staff of Defense (EMAD) of Spain published this video of the operations of the Marines' MV-22B on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier "Juan Carlos I" of the Spanish Navy during that exercise:

En un intercambio de cubiertas de vuelo 🚁'cross deck' en #BALTOPS24 🇪🇸, un @BoeingDefense MV-22B Ospray del @USMC, ha realizado maniobras de calificación de pilotos en el buque insignia 🛳️de @Armada_esp, el portaaeronaves 'Juan Carlos I' . @USNavy @NATO #DÉDALO24 #MOPS pic.twitter.com/SgDD9jyZYu

— Estado Mayor Defensa 🇪🇸 (@EMADmde) June 17, 2024

This Monday, the DVIDShub.net multimedia portal of the US Armed Forces published a series of photos taken by Corporal Elton Taylor of the USMC and showing that insertion operation of the Spanish Marines in Polandusing the MV-22B.

These aircraft, known as convertiplanes, have tilting engines that allow them to fly like a fixed-wing aircraft and take off and land as if they were helicopters. The V-22 Osprey made its first flight in 1989 and has been in service with the Marines since June 2007. This model of aircraft is also operated by the US Navy and Air Force and by the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force.

The MV-22B Osprey replaced the Boeing Vertol CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters in the USMC. Like its predecessor, the Osprey can carry a maximum of 24 equipped and seated soldiers. It has a rear ramp for boarding and disembarking troops.

The MV-22Bs used in this exercise are from Marine Medium Tilt-Rotor Squadron 365 (VMM-365). In this image we see one of these convertiplanes, protected at a distance by a Marine AH-1Z Viper attack helicopter.

Wicko Morskie's training center, used in this exercise belongs to the Polish Air Force. It was founded in 1946 and has an area of ​​4,000 hectares.

You can see below two more photos from the series published by DVIDShub.net, and two other photos published by Wicko Morskie Training Center a few days ago, showing the Marines' MV-22B during this exercise.