Where are you getting this about Osprey as a support jammer for a fastjet strike package?

Logical conclusion- I know I’d at least try to make a system like this. Sure there is a speed difference but given that the Osprey can change flight modes think of what it can mimmick- Charter turbo prop flights, SAR helo on station, news chopper- the point I am making here is that on radar, it fits the profile (sorta like a B-52 flying a Civilian 747 route- on radar who can tell the difference)?

Where did you hear that TOSS was going to demand a pressurised cabin for V-22. It was my understanding that the whole concept of TOSS is that its a rapid-fit pallet to a stock V-22 for organic ISTAR support as and when required. Hardly tracks with having specialised airframes?.

I hadn’t heard that the TOSS was going to be a “Quick fit”, I had however heard that this was being proposed as part of a package to find a replacement for the Hawkeye and Greyhounds as well as the Viking (in both Tanker Support and Fixed Wing ASW roles). Given that the Hawkeyes need to be pressurised due to the height that they fly at, my assumption came as logic (remember the Hawkeye equation- Height equals distance, logice dictates that the same equation would apply to the TOSS system)!

How many EV-22 would be needed on a carrier for 24/7 ops, taking into account the Osprey struggles to achieve 60% mission capable rate?

Given that this is a new type of system and that it is still being refined this is actually a very high missions rate success, the nextgen of V-22, the V-X will be far superior when it comes because we’d have a better understanding of how the system works- Look at the Bell P-59 Airacomet, how bad a performance did it have- compare that now with Jets today and you see what I mean, give technology time to mature and then things work!

As for how many would be needed, depends on size of the carrier and operational profile! France are doing it with three E-2C’s.

The main thing I wish to point out here is that my EV-22 is a theoretical, but logical adaption for a small carrier such as what is being proposed here in this thread.

Merchant ‘carrier’ conversion studies were carried out in the US and in the UK. The British program was called SCADS and the US had their ARAPAHO concept.

This is not actually a new idea- During WW2 Merchant vessels were converted into emergency carriers called Merchant Aircraft Carrier (MAC) ships. The British converted 19 vessels to this standard.