The U.S. Naval Air Systems Command has cleared the tilt rotor V-22 Osprey military plane to return to flight.
“This decision follows a meticulous and data-driven approach prioritizing the safety of our aircrews,” a Navy official said.
Lifting the grounding means the Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force can return the aircraft to service.
The aircraft have been grounded since December 6, a week after the fatal crash of an Air Force V-22 Osprey off the coast of Japan that killed all eight airmen on board.
The military plane was on a routine training mission on November 29 when it crashed into waters off the coast of Yakushima Island in southern Kagoshima prefecture.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin had ordered an investigation on this incident.
The Navy grounded the aircraft when Air Force officials investigating the Japan crash found “a materiel failure of a V-22 component.” Officials used the time to do a thorough review of the mishap and test risk-mitigation controls.
All of the services worked together to ensure the aircraft is safe, a Naval Air Systems Command official said during a conference call with reporters. They did not identify the component that failed, but said the processes they put in place will allow a safe return to flight.
In the wake of the U.S. military plane crash, the Japanese government had urged the Pentagon to ground the operations of its Osprey hybrid planes in the country.
The CV-22 Osprey is a multi-mission, tilt rotor military aircraft with both vertical takeoff and landing and short takeoff and landing capabilities. It is designed to combine the functionality of a conventional helicopter with the long-range, high-speed cruise performance of a turboprop aircraft.
Years ago, Okinawa residents had voiced concerns about the safety of Osprey planes.
The U.S. military’s other aircraft in this series have been involved in accidents previously, some of which were fatal.
This was the first fatal accident involving Osprey in Japan.
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