In Japan, the return to service of Ospreys hybrid aircraft worries local residents
In Japan, this American decision goes down badly.
The Pentagon has just authorized the return to service of the Bell Boeing V-22 Ospreys, these spectacular military planes which, thanks to their pivoting rotors, take off vertically – like helicopters.
Throughout the world, these devices have been grounded since, at the end of November 2023, one of them crashed into the sea off the coast of Japan, killing its eight occupants.
The return to service of these planes is debated in Japan.
A U.S. MV-22B Osprey transport plane, left, taxis after returning to Marine Corps Air Base Futenma in Ginowan, south of Okinawa, southern Japan, Wednesday, September 6, 2023. AP - Hiro Komae
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With our correspondent in Tokyo
,
Bruno Duval
Fourteen V-22 Ospreys of the Japanese Air Force are stationed at the Kisarazu military base, not far from Tokyo.
They won't be on the ground for much longer.
The immobilization of all Ospreys
aircraft
of the American army, decided after a fatal accident in November off the coast of
Japan
, ended this Friday, March 8, announced the Pentagon.
The prospect of being flown over again by these planes involved in a
series of fatal accidents
divides local residents.
“
I approve of the resumption of these flights.
Faced with China, Russia and North Korea, Japan cannot let its guard down
,” says one of them, while another is alarmed: “
That worries me.
These planes do not seem reliable...
" Another resident continues: "
Risk of receiving either a North Korean missile or an American Osprey on the head: in both cases, it is not reassuring.
»
Read alsoNorway: four soldiers die in the crash of an American plane
The urgency of “
reassuring the populations
”
The
United States
had already temporarily grounded the Ospreys in 2016 after the crash of a plane off the coast of Okinawa, angering the local population.
“
The Pentagon refuses to make public the cause of these accidents.
Such opacity is shocking.
However, as usual, Washington orders and Tokyo executes...
", reacted a resident.
“
In order not to offend its powerful American protector, Japan will flout the precautionary principle.
This servility, alas, is the guarantee of our security, it seems...
", complains another.
“
This decision follows a careful, data-driven approach that prioritizes the safety of our crews
,” the US Naval Air Command (Navair) said, adding that “
changes in maintenance and the procedures have been implemented to remedy the material failure
” at the origin of the accident, which allows “
a resumption of flights in complete safety
”.
Judging it "
urgent to reassure the populations
", the governor of Tokyo and the mayors of the other localities which will be flown over by the Ospreys called on the Japanese Minister of Defense to obtain more information from the Pentagon concerning the measures taken to avoid new accidents.
Also readJapan, the United Kingdom and Italy will develop a new generation combat aircraft
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