Officials said the removal of the aircraft began earlier this year when the U.S.
Air Force decided not to replace an F-16 squadron in Iraq. On April 1, the
Marine Corps formally ended its mission of the Osprey.
"This is the start of an effort that will take several years," an
official said.
"The Marines have done great proving the capabilities of the Osprey in a
deployed environment," Lt. Col. Christopher Seymour, commanding officer of
VMM-266, said.
Officials said the final Osprey squadron, based in Assad air base, would
leave Iraq by June 2009. Since September 2007, three Osprey
squadrons have been rotated in Iraq.
"The Osprey platform has passed the test of survivability," Maj. Brian
McAvoy, the executive officer of Marine Medium Tilt-rotor squadron VMM-266,
said. "The experience we got here is vital to the growth of the aircraft."
