Overview
- Government auditors reported 18 serious non‑combat Osprey accidents in fiscal 2023–2024, with rates 36% to 88% higher than the prior eight‑year averages for the services.
- Four fatal crashes since 2022 killed 20 service members, with investigations citing hard clutch engagements and proprotor gearbox defects, including X‑53 steel impurities, as recurring causes.
- GAO found poor cross‑service information sharing and unclear accountability, noting 28 unresolved serious and medium system risks with a median age of about nine to ten years.
- NAVAIR’s comprehensive review reaffirmed airworthiness but warned risks have accumulated, projecting full gearbox fixes into 2033–2034 and calling for a midlife upgrade and tighter airworthiness controls.
- DoD concurred with GAO’s recommendations, as NAVAIR and the services begin 32 corrective actions amid low mission‑capable rates of roughly 50% for the Navy and Air Force and 60% for the Marine Corps.