Leanne Caret: Boeing Sees Increased Osprey Foreign Sales Activity

Foreign countries are increasingly showing interest in the rotary-wing Osprey aircraft built by Boeing and Bell Helicopter, Reuters reported Monday.

Andrea Shalal-Esa writes that Japan may be close to a purchase of the V-22 Osprey tilt-rotors, which the Marine Corps has used in Okinawa since last year.

“They’ve started to see the capabilities because of the U.S. presence over there,” Leanne Caret, vice president and general manager for vertical lift at Boeing’s defense division, told Reuters.

A team from Boeing and Bell Helicopter Bell Helicopter is visiting Israel this week to close a purchase agreement for an undisclosed number of Osprey transports.

Caret told Reuters a third unnamed country has signified its intentions regarding the Osprey platform.

“An order from the Middle East will open some serious doors,” she said.