Overview
- The Air Force Special Operations Command has identified what failed in the CV-22B Osprey crash in Japan that killed eight service members, but the cause of the failure is still under investigation.
- Hundreds of Osprey aircraft across the Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy have been grounded since December 6, following the crash.
- Two investigations, a safety investigation board and an accident investigation board, are currently looking into the crash, alongside a comprehensive review of the CV-22 Osprey program by the Air Force Special Operations Command.
- The crash has been linked to chipping from the Osprey’s proprotor gearbox, a problem that has been under scrutiny in various Osprey accidents.
- The Department of Defense awarded Bell-Boeing $12.7 million in January 2023 to improve the gearbox design across all Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps, and Navy Osprey variants.