5th Fleet Focus: MV-22 Deploys to the Gulf

From the Navy Times:

The first MV-22 Ospreys to make a combat deployment are on an amphibious assault ship heading for Iraq, according to a Marine Corps headquarters spokesman.

Ten Ospreys and roughly 200 leathernecks and sailors with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 263 flew out of Marine Corps Air Station New River, N.C., and landed aboard the Wasp on Monday, Maj. Eric Dent said.

He did not know where the Norfolk, Va.-based ship was when the Ospreys boarded. The ship was diverted from an international exercise in Panama on Sept. 5 to the Nicaraguan coast to assist with disaster-relief efforts in areas affected by Hurricane Felix.

VMM-263 is heading for Al Asad Air Base for a seven-month deployment; the Ospreys will provide tactical assault support for Marines and soldiers.

The Corps decided to deploy the tilt-rotors via ship, in part to allow the aircraft to do shipboard integration operations. Corps officials would not say where the Ospreys will leave the ship and move into Iraq.

The USS Wasp (LHD 1) will probably replace the USS Carter Hall (LSD 50) which deployed on April 10th and will soon be on its way home. Originally deployed with the USS Wasp (LHD 1) are elements of Mine Countermeasures Squadron (HM) 15 and Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 28, it is unclear if these helicopter squadrons are deploying to the 5th Fleet area of responsibility.

My guess would be yes.