The Pentagon has temporarily halted operations of the V-22 Osprey following a recent incident involving an Air Force variant of the tiltrotor aircraft, officials confirmed to Breaking Defense today.
Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) issued a statement indicating that they recommended an operational pause for all V-22 Osprey variants on December 6, 2024, „out of an abundance of caution” after a precautionary landing of a CV-22, which fortunately did not result in any injuries.
“The safety of our V-22 aircrew is our top priority,” NAVAIR stated, reaffirming their commitment to ensuring that service members can complete their missions safely.
The Osprey variants include the Air Force’s CV-22, the Marine Corps’ MV-22, and the Navy’s CMV-22B. Although NAVAIR oversees the lead program office for the V-22 across all branches, each service makes its own operational decisions regarding the aircraft.
This incident marks the latest in a series of challenges faced by the V-22 over the past two years. In August 2022, the Air Force grounded its CV-22 fleet due to safety concerns regarding the aircraft’s clutch. While the Marine Corps opted not to ground their fleet, insisting that pilots were managing the issue, the Air Force resumed flights weeks later. However, safety concerns resurfaced, leading to a Pentagon-wide grounding of a subset of the V-22 models in February 2023.
The situation worsened with a tragic crash off the coast of Japan in November 2023, resulting in the deaths of eight airmen. The Osprey fleet returned to operations months later.
In a statement, Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) confirmed that they would pause Osprey operations following an order by AFSOC Commander Lt. Gen. Michael Conley for „all CV-22 flight training operations.” The pause is intended to provide time to investigate the recent incident, which preliminary findings attributed to a „material failure.”
Although the pause does not constitute a full grounding of AFSOC V-22s, restricted flight operations may still occur under specific conditions.
Following this announcement, a Navy spokesperson revealed that the US Navy CMV-22B Ospreys would also undergo an operational pause, following NAVAIR’s recommendation. Vice Adm. Daniel Cheever, Naval Air Forces Commander, emphasized safety as the top priority for the CMV-22B aircrew.
The Marine Corps subsequently confirmed their compliance with NAVAIR’s recommendation, implementing a 96-hour operational pause for non-essential flight operations from December 6, 2024. The decision, according to the Marine Corps, highlights their strong commitment to personnel safety and the reliability of their aviation platforms, while allowing time to assess any additional safety measures needed.
The V-22 Osprey is manufactured jointly by Bell and Boeing. Both companies have yet to comment on the situation, with Boeing directing inquiries to the Pentagon.
