Overview
- GAO testified that Marine Corps and Air Force V-22 Class A/B mishap rates in fiscal 2023–2024 exceeded broader fleet averages and warned of weak cross‑service safety oversight.
- Program officials told lawmakers that mission‑capable rates stand at roughly 50 percent for Marine squadrons and about 40 percent for Navy aircraft.
- NAVAIR reported zero hard‑clutch engagements since services imposed life limits on the input quill assembly in February 2023.
- The Marine‑led program is delivering improved gearboxes at a rate of 12 per month, a step officials say will help remove airworthiness controls in place since March 2024.
- Leaders outlined a modernization path that includes qualifying a new gearbox for late‑2027 fielding, targeting full fleet transition by 2033, and pursuing a broader mid‑life upgrade.