The US Marine Corps is budgeted to buy 30 V-22s per year, but wants to increase this to 36. This would decrease overall costs by building a more efficient number, and would buy the planned overall total in fewer years. The problem is that the Marines are out of money, and spending plans for 2002-07 are about $2.65 billion short every year. The Marines have, however, thought of a solution. They want the National Guard and the military Reserves, which have plenty of money in their aviation budgets, to fund the extra V-22s (but the Marines would get them, not the reserves). While this seems strange, it is really nothing new, and cynics have long charged that the Marine budget includes a line item designated OPM (Other People's Money).--Stephen V Cole