VMMT - 204 Marine Medium Tiltrotor Training Squadron 204 ( VMMT - 204 ) is the MV - 22 Osprey training squadron of the United States Marine Corps . Known as the " Raptors " , the squadron was originally designated Marine Medium Helicopter Training Squadron 204 ( HMT - 204 ) to train new CH - 46E pilots and was officially redesignated as VMMT - 204 on June 10 , 1999 . They fall under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 26 ( MAG - 26 ) and the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing ( 2nd MAW ) . Mission . Provide training to both Marine and Air Force Osprey pilots , Marine crew chiefs and units in the use and maintenance of the MV - 22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft currently replacing the Marine Corps fleet of CH - 46 and CH - 53D helicopters . History . The unit was formed at Marine Corps Air Station New River , North Carolina , on May 1 , 1972 . Following the Vietnam War , Marine Helicopter Training Group 40 ( MHTG - 40 ) was deactivated and Marine Medium Helicopter Training Squadron - 402 and Marine Heavy Helicopter Training Squadron - 401 were combined to form HMT - 204 . HMT - 204 was originally a composite training squadron , tasked with training both CH - 46 and CH - 53 pilots . In January 1986 , the commanding officer of HMT - 204 accepted the first fleet model of the CH - 46E Survivability , Reliability and Maintainability ( SR & M ) . In June 1988 , HMT - 302 assumed responsibility for training all CH - 53 pilots and the last CH - 53 departed HMT - 204 . On 9 November 1988 , HMT - 204 was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation ( MUC ) for meritorious service in support of Fleet Marine Force ( FMF ) units during 1987 . In October 1993 , HMT - 301 was deactivated and HMT - 204 became the single site Fleet Readiness Squadron for the entire Marine Corps CH - 46E community . As a result of this transition , HMT - 204 earned the distinction of being the largest CH - 46E squadron in the Marine Corps . Additionally , October 1993 saw the establishment of the Fleet Replacement Enlisted Skills Training ( FREST ) Program . HMT - 204 FREST provides comprehensive technical training for officers and enlisted in the operation , maintenance and repair of the CH - 46E aircraft and associated equipment . In fulfilling its then primary mission of training all CH - 46E pilots and crew chiefs , HMT - 204 has trained over 1 , 800 CH - 46E replacement aircrew ( basic , refresher , modified refresher and conversion pilots ) , over 275 instructor pilots and over 450 crew chiefs . Additionally , over 100 AV - 8B pilots have completed the vertical flight familiarization syllabus , in the CH - 46 . In December 1995 , HMT - 204 broke new ground for training pilots and crew chiefs in night formation , night vision goggle operations , terrain flight , navigation and formalized aircrew coordination training . Since being commissioned , HMT - 204 amassed over 95 , 000 CH - 46 class " A " mishap - free flight hours . In recognition of this significant achievement , the squadron has been the recipient of the Chief of Naval Operations Safety Award in fiscal years 1977 , 1994 , and 1997 . In February 1999 , HMM ( T ) - 164 was tasked to become the Marine Corps ’ Fleet Replacement Squadron for the CH - 46E . VMMT - 204 received in April 1999 , from Raytheon Systems Company , a new motion - based operational flight trainer ( OFT ) to train Marine Corps and Air Force instructors to fly the Osprey . The OFT will provide the pilot with computer - generated horizontal and vertical visual scenes within a 24 - foot dome . Both out - of - window visual scenes and forward - looking infrared imagery are made possible by the OFT ' s six - channel visual - display system . Its full range of motion also allows pilots to get " a real feel " of both acceleration and deceleration and gives them the opportunity to train in a broad spectrum of simulated environments . In 1999 , the squadron became Fleet Replacement Squadron for MV - 22 " Osprey " tilt - rotor pilots and aircrew . The change of aircraft meant a change in designation , so HMT - 204 was re - designated VMMT - 204 . On March 12 , 2000 VMMT - 204 accepted its first MV - 22 Osprey . The squadron conducted MV - 22 flight training until December 2000 when a fatal mishap caused USMC leadership to ground the Osprey for its three year " return to flight period . " VMMT - 204 resumed MV - 22 flight operations in 2005 in support of the Marine Corps activation of deploying MV - 22 squadrons . As of the end of 2007 , VMMT - 204 has trained over 150 MV - 22 pilots for the first three Marine Corps MV - 22 squadrons , and the first USAF CV - 22 squadron . VMMT - 204 currently operates the block A and B versions of the MV - 22 - the block A aircraft preceded the reliability upgrades designed into the block B version , getting delivered to warfighting squadrons first . Although the block A aircraft is less reliable and less logistically supported than the newer aircraft , VMMT - 204 has been able to complete its training requirements . At various times in the squadron ' s history , up to 6 of the block A aircraft have been used a " parts birds " to support the remaining flyable aircraft . On February 25 , 2009 , the first Block A aircraft was inducted into the " A to B " mod line .