European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 4, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse Sunday. May 4. 19b6 the stars and stripes 1 Page 9 ing hew plane tilt Rotor project could Cost $20 billion Washington set the Penta gon will Sunn Yinru Iunce la decision w whether to proceed with 11 program costing More Hun $20 billion to develop a new Type of tilt Rotor aircraft Pentagon officials said thursday. Pentagon officials said Deputy defense. Secretary William h. Tall in had not Dis closed a formal decision on the program but 1 hey i id the general Drift in recent Pentagon meetings was that the program should go Forward with some Steps being taken to control costs. Most of the planes Are to be bought by the Marine corps which has declared the. Aircraft the Osprey ils most important new program. The plane s primary purpose would be to carry troops ashore in amphibious assaults. _ it is a military imperative said a Marine corps officer who argued that the of Prcy would allow the service to develop some Pentagon officials have argued that the military should not undertake so expensive a program now Given the likelihood of Pentagon budget cuts in the next several years an internal report prepared by the staff of the House armed services commit ice also has raised questions about the need for the aircraft Ano whether it would be compatible with other Marine corps systems. We May be acquiring the wrong aircraft at the wrong Lime for the wrong reasons states the report,.which was distributed to the committee in March but has not been made Public. Officials said a decision to proceed with full scale engineering development would billion contract with Boeing Vertol co. And Bell helicopter Dextran. Which would j finlly develop the Osprey s Airframe. All told contracts Worth $2.5 Bil lion would be signed As the plane entered. Full scale engineering development. Last year the Pentagon estimated the total Cost of the program at s20.3 billion for about 600 planes or s32 million per plane. Recently the Pentagon said it would like to buy a total of 900 of the planes with 552 to be bought by the Marine corps. The Osprey would have the capacity to take off like a helicopter using engines affixed tails stings. Once airborne the plane s engines would a vertical to a horizontal position and the plane Woald then function As a Normal propeller driven aircraft. could go faster and farther than a helicopter but it would have less ability to hover. The Marine corps would use the Osprey to replace the cm--16 Heli copter which is about is years old and other old helicopters. The plane would carry 24 men in Battle gear or five tons of cargo. corps officials said the longer Range of the Osprey would either allow Navy ships to stay farther from Shore when launch ing the planes or enable the marines to i ninth attacks farther into enemy territory. They said it also would allow the marines to Man Euver better to avoid enemy defences. Dal these arguments have been challenged by the House armed services com Mittee report which says the Marine corps would not be Able to take full advantage of the greater Range of the Osprey. The report where prisoners went on a rampage from the air Norl Beve prison in Sussex England looks like a wartime bombing target. The Masslie damage is the work of rioting inmates who look Adt anlage of slowdown action by prison guards and Wii on a spree of destruction wednesday and thursday. More Hun Iho dozen prisoners escaped and some tre still eluding capture. Similar disturbances took place at prisons across Britain. Friday prison guards ii nil Botor nmn representatives agr Erit to hold talks next week in an Effort to end a dispute oter staffing Kiels at 134 jails in England Wales and Northern Ireland. Says amphibious ships would have to1 stay close enough to launch Shorter Range air. Craft such As ch-5j helicopters which carry Arl Illery and vehicles to Battle Rones the report also nates that historically troops have not been deployed beyond the Range of naval gunfire. The report accepts the need to buy new aircraft 10 transport troops and equipment for assaults Liui it adds that a helicopter May be the most efficient the i Louse report has drawn different responses from defense department officials outside the Marine corps. One civilian official in the department said the House report had Loo narrow lift us. 1 another civilian official said we san uld us ahead the technology ivs inter cuing and because the plane Eoula possibly be used for other missions such As Maitti Suraia Rine warfare and fur searches until rescues. Luw Vur another civilian in the Deparle Nunt expressed concern Over costs. There is going to be a hip in the next several cars and this will add to the problem he gets by on adjust ii retirement plan Chuck Vinci l Washington Bureau Washington i Reid Ftp was expect cd to. Sign. Will Uulu Lay a Bill pushing the it Tilini fur Majk changes to the military Lef a june i. The Bill uasi Cal Laic Tolj lasday Lorca in Whit is on a v Day Ramdasi Tuur. Congress Nith a s2.9ftillkm from Thi dear s s1h.2 Billie i military retire inn faced Uilah Liy May i built releasing Ufi to hers to slay within the House system two weeks but the Senate s version. Dod officials jest Mal in House and Senate pm irl i Nojd Cut the tire mint pay for future ref res by Abitt i percent to 30 percent Affefy Only those recruits who cd tar Active duty Reagan signs it into \ a said if ingress should Misu fac new deadline the pit anon would a no Choice but to begin faring up to a crate enough to meet by get requirements for this \ Cal year. Tit does t mean we Start kicking it that Day the spa Ocsman a would just be the Dale for stun i process. We have to identify the Peop let go and give them ample he spokesman said the longer Congress r ills to change the retirement system the More servicemen Ibers May have to be Sepa. Rated the Lime Frame for meeting budget requirements would be compressed. department it. It had been a n the d would have to cd old a Xvi Remein Nyji limits it in change the
