First USAF CV-22 Osprey Lost in Combat

A U.S. Air Force Bell/Boeing CV-22 Osprey tiltrotor crashed April 9 near Qalat City, Afghanistan, killing four aboard and injuring “numerous” others, according to the Pentagon. The tiltrotor was assigned to NATO’s International Security Assistance Force and was believed to be on a troop insertion mission. Claims by the Taliban that it shot down the aircraft could not be confirmed. The $76 million CV-22 is a modified and more expensive version of the MV-22 developed for the Marine Corps. It features longer range and better electronic-warfare capability. Two MV-22s crashed in the U.S. during 2000 while on training missions.