The mayor of a city in western Japan has announced his acceptance of the deployment of the U.S. Navy’s CMV-22 Osprey, despite safety concerns. This decision marks the first deployment of CMV-22s in Japan, with MV-22s deployed in Okinawa and CV-22s in Yokota. The CMV-22s will replace aircraft on a U.S. aircraft carrier following the departure of the Ronald Reagan carrier. The mayor expressed confidence in the safety of the aircraft, as confirmed by both Japanese and U.S. authorities.
There will be a slight reduction in aircraft numbers, minimizing environmental impact on the area. Defense Minister Kihara expressed gratitude for the mayor’s acceptance. The deployment plans were shared with local governments in July, although their consent was not required.
Despite past incidents, investigations have found no structural defects in the Ospreys. The U.S. Air Force attributed a previous crash to gearbox failure and faulty decision-making. The temporary grounding of Ospreys by both the U.S. military and Japan’s Self-Defense Forces has since been lifted.
© KYODO
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