The Pentagon has once again halted operations involving its fleet of V-22 Ospreys due to concerns over weakened metal components that may have contributed to another near-crash incident. This suspension highlights an ongoing series of safety challenges faced by the V-22 Osprey, an aircraft that has increasingly come under scrutiny for its reliability and performance issues.
The decision to pause flight operations was recommended by Vice Adm. Carl Chebi, who oversees the Naval Air Systems Command responsible for the Osprey program. Command spokeswoman Marcia Hart conveyed this recommendation, emphasizing the precautionary nature of the measure. The Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force have acknowledged the recommendation and confirmed their adherence to the flight pause. Specifically, the Marines initiated the suspension on Friday and plan to extend it at least through Monday. Other branches are anticipated to maintain their flight halts for a more extended period while investigating the underlying causes of the metal failures.
An investigative report last month provided alarming details about rising safety concerns regarding the Osprey over the past five years. It revealed that components of the aircraft were experiencing wear at an accelerated rate and highlighted design flaws that are believed to contribute significantly to numerous accidents involving the aircraft, which can function both as a helicopter and an airplane.
In light of these findings, several lawmakers reached out to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, advocating for the grounding of the Osprey fleet until comprehensive solutions are implemented to rectify the identified safety and design deficiencies.
The most recent near-crash incident occurred on November 20 at Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico and bore similarities to a tragic incident off the coast of Japan in November of the previous year, which resulted in the deaths of eight members of the Air Force Special Operations Command. In that Japan incident, metal inclusions, or weak points, within critical transmission gears caused a catastrophic failure during flight. The crew at that time was unaware of the severity of the issue and did not land the aircraft promptly.
Fortunately, lessons learned from the Japan incident may have helped avert further tragedy in the recent emergency. Although the inquiry is ongoing, the crew involved in the Cannon flight responded to early warnings shortly after takeoff, managing to successfully land the Osprey after losing an engine.
An initial assessment of the failed component from the Cannon flight indicates that it too may have suffered from similar metal weaknesses, though it involved a different part than the one that failed in Japan. Following the recommendations from NAVAIR, Lt. Gen. Michael Conley, commander of Air Force Special Operations Command, has mandated a pause on all Osprey training flights. This will provide time to investigate the incident thoroughly and to understand what went wrong.
The metal causing concern is identified as X-53 VIMVAR. Investigators from the Japan incident noted that the defective gear contained several inclusions due to foreign materials inadvertently introduced during manufacturing. Such weak points can lead to fatigue and cracking over time.
In the wake of the Japan crash, investigators discovered seven prior incidents of cracking in gears likely tied back to the same metal weaknesses. Since the aircraft’s introduction three decades ago, crashes involving the V-22 Osprey have resulted in the deaths of 64 personnel and left 93 others injured. Notably, Japan’s military briefly grounded its fleet again in October after an Osprey experienced significant tilting upon takeoff that led to contact with the ground.