Naval Air Systems Command approves return to flight for Osprey aircraft after part failure

Following an "unprecedented" part failure that resulted in the deaths of eight service members, the Osprey aircraft has been approved to return to flight. The crash in Japan in November was the second fatal accident in months and the fourth in two years. The fleet-wide grounding of hundreds of Ospreys across the Marine Corps, Air Force and Navy has now been lifted after extensive safety measures were put in place. The decision to resume flights has drawn criticism from the chair of the House Oversight Committee.

Increased Attention on Safety Measures

Before clearing the Osprey for flight, officials put increased attention on its proprotor gearbox, instituted new limitations on its operation, and added maintenance inspections and requirements to ensure the safety of the aircraft. The entire fleet was grounded in December, following a crash that revealed an unprecedented failure of a specific component in the Osprey.

Concerns and Criticism

The decision to resume flights before the completion of separate congressional investigations on the Osprey program has drawn criticism from Rep. James Comer, who raised concerns about accountability, transparency, maintenance, operational upkeep, and risk assessment.

Addressing Safety Issues

The services have conducted a thorough examination of the proprotor gearbox and implemented new safety measures to address the issues identified from the catastrophic event. Further tests and investigations are underway to gain a complete understanding of the component failure and to potentially lessen some of the operational safety controls on the Osprey in the future.

International Response

The government of Japan has been briefed on the findings, and Japan also grounded its fleet of Ospreys after the crash. Crews have not flown for more than 90 days, which will make their return to flight more dangerous. The services are taking a cautious approach to retrain their crews before normal flight operations resume.

History and Future Plans

The Osprey has been in development for four decades and became operational in 2007. The U.S. military has flown the Osprey for about 750,000 hours, relying on its capabilities to conduct operations in the Middle East and Africa. Despite being a critical asset, the Osprey has been involved in more than 14 major accidents, leading to the loss of lives and aircraft. The military has planned to use the Osprey in future operations in the Indo-Pacific.

Although the Osprey has been a first-generation controversial design, none of the services are planning on new production orders of the V-22. The Army has contracted to buy the Osprey's successor, the Bell V-280 Valor, which presents design changes for improved safety and efficiency.

Commitment to the Osprey

The Marine Corps, which operates the majority of the Ospreys, remains committed to the aircraft, with plans for it to remain in its fleet through the 2050s. However, the Air Force may start considering other options, indicating that it may be time to explore the next generation of capability to replace the V-22.