Readiness Ranking Member Garamendi and Chair Waltz Send Joint Letter Urging GAO to Investigate Osprey Aircraft Safety
WASHINGTON, DC— On Thursday, Representatives John Garamendi (D-CA) and Mike Waltz (R-FL), Ranking Member and Chair of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness, sent a joint letter to U.S. Comptroller General Gene L. Dodaro, head of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), urging the GAO to conduct a review on the cause of the accidents that have resulted in several deaths involving the Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft (V-22) during military operations and training exercises.
On Wednesday, the Naval Air Systems Command issued a red stripe memorandum grounding the V-22 Osprey fleet after the crash of a V-22 off the coast of Japan on November 29, 2023, which killed 8 service members aboard. This tragic crash comes after numerous mishaps involving the Osprey aircraft, resulting in the tragic loss of over 50 service members.
Read the full letter below:
Dear Mr. Dodaro:
We write with concern regarding recent reports on the number of deaths resulting from accidents involving Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft (V-22) during military training exercises and operations. In the last two years, four fatal Osprey crashes have claimed the lives of at least 13 American service members. Most recently, a U.S. Air Force CV-22 Osprey crashed during a training mission off the southern coast of Japan. Nonfatal accidents involving the Osprey also occurred during this time, which resulted in injuries, fatalities, and costly damage to aircraft. While it is imperative that our service members are trained at a high standard to effectively develop critical skills and maintain readiness, it is essential that our Armed Forces conduct training in a manner that ensures their safety.
As Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness, given the recent instances of accidents involving the Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, we respectively request that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) conduct a review evaluating the following questions:
- What are the trends in accidents involving Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft, and what causes have been associated with these accidents?
- What are the trends in maintenance and supply issues that negatively impact the availability rates of Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft and to what extent have the rates met fleet-wide goals?
- To what extent do the Military Services that employ Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft use risk management procedures to mitigate potential accidents?
- What steps have the Department of Defense (DOD), the V-22 Joint Program Office, and the Military Services taken to reduce or prevent accidents involving the Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft, and to what extent are additional actions warranted to enhance the safe operation of the aircraft?
We believe an assessment of the above issues, and any recommendations GAO may have, will assist us as we conduct oversight on DOD to ensure our military is achieving the required level of readiness while keeping our service members safe.
We appreciate your attention to this matter and ask that you respond to our request for a study within 30 days of the date of this letter. If you have additional questions, please contact Patrick Nevins of the House Armed Services Committee’s Majority Staff or Jeanine Womble, of the House Armed Services Committee’s Minority Staff.
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