The Marine Corps plans to activate VMX-22, a new squadron charged with conducting operational testing of the V-22 Osprey and "future tiltrotor related systems" by the end of fiscal year 2003. The service is taking the V-22 operational testing mission away from HMX-1, the elite Marine Corps helicopter squadron that transports the president and tests new Marine rotorcraft. In an administrative message issued April 7, Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Michael Hagee said VMX-22 would be a tiltrotor "center of excellence."...
