V-22 Osprey Filckr/Marines

Russia says it's planning to design its own tilt-rotor aircraft like the US' V-22 Osprey, with experimental design work slated to start in September.

The aircraft will be given to Russia's elite Airborne Forces, or VDV, which are often Moscow's first troops on the ground.

If Moscow actually builds the aircraft, and heavily arms it like the US, it could be a deadly addition to Russia's paratroopers.

Russia says its planning to design its own tilt-rotor aircraft like the US' V-22 Osprey, according to The National Interest, citing Sputnik, a Russian state-owned media outlet.

"A tilt-rotor aircraft, or convertiplane, is planned to be created for Russian Airborne Forces," Sputnik reported, citing a Russian defense industry source.

"Before the end of September, it is planned to get the customer specification and start the experimental design work for this aircraft," the source told Sputnik.

Russian defense contractor Rostec also said in 2017 that it was building an electric tilt-rotor aircraft, which it said would be completed in 2019.

Tilt-rotor aircraft are basically a hybrid of a helicopter and fixed-wing plane that has the speed and range of an airplane, but can also take off and land like a helicopter. The V-22 has a max cruising speed of 310 miles per hour.

The elite Russian Airborne Forces, or VDV, are often Moscow's first troops on the ground, like in Afghanistan and more recently in Syria.

Numbering about 35,000 troops in 2010, VDV paratroopers were also deployed to South Ossetia during the Russo-Georgian War in 2008, and they blocked NATO troops from seizing the Pristina International Airport during the Kosovo War.

The VDV are also different than US paratroopers in that they're known to drop in with armored vehicles and self-propelled howitzers.

If Russia actually builds this tilt-rotor aircraft - a big if given Moscow's budgetary problems and inability to mass produce other new platforms like the Su-57 stealth jet and the T-14 main battle tank - it could be a deadly addition to the VDV.

This is especially true if Moscow heavily arms the prospective tilt-rotor, just as the US is currently doing.

"A transport aircraft/helicopter that could land [Russian] troops to seize an airhead, and then provide them with heavy fire support, would be invaluable," The National Interest's Michael Peck wrote.

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