Boeing, the global aeronautical giant with a facility in Ridley Park, will continue its successful collaboration with Bell Helicopters on the V-22 Osprey after being awarded a new multimillion-dollar government contract, writes Ryan Maass for United Press International.

The Bell-Boeing Joint Program Office has received contract modifications to perform repair services for the U.S. Navy’s V-22 tilt-rotor Osprey aircraft. The total contract is valued at $411.7 million, and will be split between the two companies. It also includes options that could grow it to as high as $545 million.

The Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey is a multirole combat aircraft designed to combine rotary-wing and fixed-wing capabilities. The aircraft is able to perform helicopter-like hovering when its rotors are placed in a vertical position. It can also operate as a turboprop airplane when the rotors are horizontal, giving it greater speed than a helicopter. This kind of maneuverability is invaluable when entering hostile territory.

The Osprey is a mainstay of the U.S. Marine Corp and the U.S. Air Force due to its flexibility, and the majority of the work will be split between Ridley Park and Fort Worth, Texas.

Read more about the new contract from United Press International by clicking here, and check out previous DELCO Today coverage of Boeing by clicking here.