House Panel Calls on Pentagon to Explain Osprey Safety Record

"House investigators have called on Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to explain problems with the V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft and what the Pentagon is doing to ensure its safety following a series of crashes that have claimed dozens of service members' lives.

The U.S. military's fleet of more than 400 Ospreys has been grounded since Dec. 6 following the crash of an Air Force aircraft off the coast of Japan that claimed eight lives.

The Committee on Oversight and Accountability said in a letter to Austin that it was investigating "long-term problems" with the Osprey. The panel called for additional oversight before the Pentagon expands its use of the tilt-rotor design.

"The Committee remains concerned about safety and performance issues surrounding the Osprey program," wrote Rep. James Comer (R., Ky.), the committee's chairman, requesting related documents and information from the Pentagon by Jan. 4.

Concerns among some military families and engineers about the Osprey's unusual design -- a hybrid of a helicopter and an airplane -- were highlighted this week by The Wall Street Journal.

The Osprey has become a military workhorse, especially in the Marine Corps, because of its unique attributes. Like a helicopter, it can take off, hover and land vertically.

More than 450 Ospreys have been produced by a joint venture between Textron's Bell unit and Boeing. The Army last year selected a design similar to the Osprey to replace its Black Hawk helicopter fleet, awarding a contract to Bell in a deal estimated by analysts to be worth up to $70 billion. The new craft, the Bell V-280 Valor, can fly faster and farther than the Osprey.

The committee said it recognized the advantages of the tilt-rotor design, as well as the 27,000 jobs tied to the Osprey. The latest versions cost $120 million each, said the committee, and are due to fly until 2055.

The Pentagon has spent two years working to improve the safety of its aircraft and rotorcraft after a congressional commission in December 2020 identified failings with training, aging aircraft and spare-parts shortages.

U.S. military officials say the Osprey remains a safe aircraft to fly.

The House Oversight Committee last held a hearing on the Osprey in 2009. One problem with the Osprey that has dogged the military since then is a gearbox malfunction known as "hard clutch engagement" that can cause power to surge in one rotor, destabilizing the aircraft.

"In the years since that hearing, additional reports from government watchdogs revealed problems in the Osprey program, yet our service members remain in harm's way without resolution of known mechanical issues," said the committee.

The grounding of the entire Osprey fleet has created a logistical challenge. The Pentagon hasn't said when or if they might return to full operations. It has said an initial probe tied the recent crash off Japan to mechanical issues.

Textron and Boeing, through a spokesman, have said they were ready to assist the investigation into the crash off Japan. They declined to comment further." [1]

1. U.S. News: House Panel Calls on Pentagon to Explain Osprey Safety Record. Cameron, Doug.  Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 22 Dec 2023: A.6.