US Rejects Japan’s Request to Ground Osprey Aircraft After Deadly Crash
A CV-22 Osprey lands in a field at Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas.
Photographer: Airman 1st Class Zachary Heimbuch/US Air ForceThis article is for subscribers only.
The US rejected a Japanese government request to ground its fleet of CV-22 Osprey aircraft in the country after a deadly crash, a rare public disagreement between the treaty allies.
The tilt-rotor aircraft in Japan operate “only after undergoing thorough maintenance and safety checks,” Pentagon deputy spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said in a statement. The statement made no reference to a Japanese government request, made after the Nov. 29 crash, that the US suspend Osprey operations in Japan until their safe operation can be ensured.