The Pentagon is temporarily pausing operations again of its V-22 Osprey fleet after weakened metals inside one of the aircraft broke apart in flight in November, causing an engine failure and a near crash in New Mexico, based on an initial investigation of the incident.
The pause was recommended last week by Vice Adm. Carl Chebi, the head of Naval Air Systems Command, and went into effect Monday morning, Navy spokesman Cmdr. Tim Hawkins said.
Both the Navy and Air Force are adhering to the voluntary operational pause, which is indefinite as the services look at how the safety issue can be mitigated. The Marine Corps did not immediately return a request for comment as to whether its aircraft would also adhere to the operational pause.
It's the latest problem for the military's embattled Osprey aircraft. An in-depth investigation into the Osprey by The Associated Press last month found that safety issues have increased in the past five years, parts are wearing out faster than expected and that the design of the aircraft itself is directly contributing to many of the accidents.
Following that report, lawmakers sent a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin asking him to reground the Osprey fleet until solutions can be put in place to address safety and design issues identified by the AP.
Tara Copp, The Associated Press