Bell, April 20, 2026 - Amarillo, TX – Bell Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. company, announced initial results and benefits from more than 10,000 flight hours of Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) CV-22 Ospreys with the Nacelle Improvement (NI) Program.
The first of nine CV-22s with the 20th Special Operations Squadron at Cannon Air Force Base received the NI upgrade in 2021, and the program has produced a 75 percent reduction in maintenance hours resulting in a significant boost in operational readiness and maintainability.
The V-22 Osprey nacelle houses critical power components to the V-22’s vertical take-off and landing capabilities and transition to forward flight. The NI program is a targeted upgrade designed to modernize the V-22’s nacelles. By simplifying wiring, enhancing structural components, and integrating fleet maintainer-informed feedback, NI improves the Osprey’s reliability, readiness, and sustainability for any mission for the next 30 years.
“Since the initial rollout, the CV-22 Nacelle Improvement has saved AFSOC more than 24,000 maintenance hours, equating to a savings of more than 1,000 days of maintainer time that can be used toward other high-priority needs,” said V-22 Joint Program Office Principal Military Deputy Program Manager and CV-22 Senior Materiel Leader. “CV-22 readiness saw more than a 10 percent increase; meaning more mission capable CV-22s on the flightline, which allows for further training and improved safety.”
Bell completes the NI modification at its Amarillo Assembly Center (AAC), which actively produces V-22s for the U.S. Department of War. The AAC assembles all variants of the Bell Boeing V-22 model – MV, CMV, and CV.
Kurt Fuller, senior vice president, Military Fielded Programs, Bell, said “The Nacelle Improvement Program enhances the V-22s reliability, flexibility, and global reach for combat and humanitarian missions alike. We are pleased to see these remarkable results from the NI program and look forward to continued collaboration to enhance focus on V-22 safety, sustainability, and readiness.”
US Air Force CV-22B Osprey
About Bell : Thinking above and beyond is what we do. For more than 90 years, we’ve been reimagining the experience of flight – and where it can take us. We're an aerospace and defense company that engineers and manufactures aircraft for critical solutions in extreme scenarios. We're breaking barriers in lifting people to safety across transportation, medical, rescue and military services, and leading the industry in future solutions that are fast, reliable and efficient. Headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas – as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Textron Inc., – we have strategic locations around the globe. And with nearly one quarter of our workforce having served, helping our military achieve their missions is a passion of ours. Above all, our breakthrough innovations deliver exceptional experiences to our customers. Efficiently. Reliably. And always, with safety at the forefront.
About Textron : Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell, Cessna, Beechcraft, Pipistrel, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, and Textron Systems.
The first of nine CV-22s with the 20th Special Operations Squadron at Cannon Air Force Base received the NI upgrade in 2021, and the program has produced a 75 percent reduction in maintenance hours resulting in a significant boost in operational readiness and maintainability.
The V-22 Osprey nacelle houses critical power components to the V-22’s vertical take-off and landing capabilities and transition to forward flight. The NI program is a targeted upgrade designed to modernize the V-22’s nacelles. By simplifying wiring, enhancing structural components, and integrating fleet maintainer-informed feedback, NI improves the Osprey’s reliability, readiness, and sustainability for any mission for the next 30 years.
“Since the initial rollout, the CV-22 Nacelle Improvement has saved AFSOC more than 24,000 maintenance hours, equating to a savings of more than 1,000 days of maintainer time that can be used toward other high-priority needs,” said V-22 Joint Program Office Principal Military Deputy Program Manager and CV-22 Senior Materiel Leader. “CV-22 readiness saw more than a 10 percent increase; meaning more mission capable CV-22s on the flightline, which allows for further training and improved safety.”
Bell completes the NI modification at its Amarillo Assembly Center (AAC), which actively produces V-22s for the U.S. Department of War. The AAC assembles all variants of the Bell Boeing V-22 model – MV, CMV, and CV.
Kurt Fuller, senior vice president, Military Fielded Programs, Bell, said “The Nacelle Improvement Program enhances the V-22s reliability, flexibility, and global reach for combat and humanitarian missions alike. We are pleased to see these remarkable results from the NI program and look forward to continued collaboration to enhance focus on V-22 safety, sustainability, and readiness.”
US Air Force CV-22B Osprey
About Bell : Thinking above and beyond is what we do. For more than 90 years, we’ve been reimagining the experience of flight – and where it can take us. We're an aerospace and defense company that engineers and manufactures aircraft for critical solutions in extreme scenarios. We're breaking barriers in lifting people to safety across transportation, medical, rescue and military services, and leading the industry in future solutions that are fast, reliable and efficient. Headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas – as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Textron Inc., – we have strategic locations around the globe. And with nearly one quarter of our workforce having served, helping our military achieve their missions is a passion of ours. Above all, our breakthrough innovations deliver exceptional experiences to our customers. Efficiently. Reliably. And always, with safety at the forefront.
About Textron : Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell, Cessna, Beechcraft, Pipistrel, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, and Textron Systems.
Cannon AFB See also |
Bell V-22 Osprey in
Bell Helicopter CV-22 Osprey in
US Air Force 20th SOS
20th Special Operations Squadron US Air Force CV-22 with Nacelle Improvement at Cannon AFB
