The V-22 Osprey tiltrotor continues to play a key role in US military operations, for everything from inserting Marines and special operations forces into combat zones to delivering critical Navy cargo to aircraft carriers. But the V-22 has also been plagued by serious safety concerns that have led to several fatal mishaps, fleetwide operational restrictions, and renewed congressional scrutiny, as outlined in a new report from the US Congressional Research Service.
The report notes that as of September 2025, 65 people have died in Osprey mishaps, including 35 since the aircraft entered service in 2007. Four fatal crashes since 2022 have killed 20 service members and injured 20 others. Investigations found that mechanical failures in the aircraft’s drive system and proprotor gearboxes were central to two of the most recent crashes: a June 2022 Marine Corps crash in El Centro, California, and a November 2023 Air Force crash off Yakushima Island, Japan.
In response, the Pentagon has limited all Osprey variants to missions within 30 minutes of a safe landing zone, a restriction that is expected to remain in place until at least 2026.
Engineers are pursuing multiple fixes, including tougher gears made from new alloys, redesigned clutches and input quills, and nacelle improvements aimed at reducing maintenance demands. V-22 manufacturer Bell-Boeing and the Pentagon are also developing a diagnostic system to detect gearbox wear and conducting modernization studies aimed at keeping the Osprey in service into the 2050s.
The Osprey program began in the 1980s as a joint-service effort to replace aging helicopters with a tiltrotor capable of vertical takeoff and airplane-like cruise speed. The first prototype flew in 1989, but the aircraft was not declared operational until 2007 after years of delays, cost overruns, and development accidents. Since then, the Pentagon has ordered more than 460 aircraft across the Marine Corps (MV-22), Air Force Special Operations Command (CV-22), and the Navy (CMV-22), with production scheduled to end in 2028. Japan has also purchased 17.
Safety data cited in the report show that Marine Corps MV-22s averaged 2.56 Class-A mishaps per 100,000 flight hours from FY2015-FY2024, close to the Marine Corps fleet average of 2.67. Air Force CV-22s, however, experienced a rate of 11.55 mishaps per 100,000 hours, far above the service’s overall average of 1.65. The Navy’s CMV-22 has not had a fatal crash but remains under the same flight restrictions.
Congress has taken a more active role in oversight of late. Lawmakers authorized an additional $60 million for Osprey safety enhancements in the FY2025 defense bill and directed briefings on fleet upgrades and carrier logistics. For FY2026, oversight committees are considering reviews of fleet size, modernization plans, and whether lessons from the Osprey are being applied to the Army’s Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft program.
The CRS report concludes that the Osprey remains essential to US military operations but continues to face persistent safety challenges. It frames upcoming decisions for Congress around whether planned fixes and modernization programs will be enough to ensure the V-22 can operate safely through the middle of this century.
