Pentagon Orders 11 V-22 Osprey Aircraft

The Pentagon ordered 11 new V-22 Osprey aircraft for $817 million, giving a boost to a program plagued by deadly crashes and other problems.

The program had been in danger of being eliminated after 23 Marines died in crashes during testing in 2000. The aircraft’s maker, a joint venture between Boeing Co. and Textron Inc.’s Bell Helicopter unit, had to redesign parts of the aircraft to fix hydraulic and other problems.

The Osprey has fixed wings and propellers that can tilt upward so the craft can take off and land like a helicopter, then tilt forward so it can fly like an airplane. The Pentagon ordered another round of testing after the redesign, and military officials have said those tests have gone well. Ordering 11 more Ospreys is a signal that the program has passed those tests.