New Reports Reveal Years of Unaddressed Osprey Safety Risks

"The Deadly Track Record "Initially, the V-22 suffered from Vortex Ring State, which produced crashes during development. The problem was diagnosed and remediated, and the loss rate went down dramatically," John Pike, a leading defense, space and intelligence policy expert and Director of GlobalSecurity.org, tells The Cipher Brief. "Subsequent losses have been 'normal accidents' due to the usual mechanical and human failings.""

"The NAVAIR report that "the cumulative risk posture of the V-22 platform has been growing since initial fielding," and the program office "has not promptly implemented fixes." Of 12 Class A mishaps in the past four years, seven involved parts failures already identified as major problems but not addressed. Issues with hard-clutch engagement (HCE) caused the July 2022 California crash that killed five."

The Marine Corps fields about 348 MV-22s, the Air Force 52 CV-22s, the Navy 29 CMV-22s, and Japan operates 17 MV-22s, with a program of record around 464 across services. Early development experienced Vortex Ring State crashes that were diagnosed and remediated, reducing loss rates. Recent mishaps in 2023–2024 exceeded the previous eight years and generally surpassed accident rates of other Navy and Air Force aircraft, including multiple fatal crashes. A NAVAIR assessment found the cumulative risk posture has grown and fixes have not been promptly implemented. Several Class A mishaps involved known part failures such as hard-clutch engagement faults and cracked pinion gears that contributed to deadly crashes.

Read at The Cipher Brief