Is the V-22 Osprey Ready for Combat?

According to a recent article in Time magazine, this aircraft could prove to be a flight risk for our troops in Iraq. Critics of the V-22 have had concerns since the aircraft first started flying. From the poor field of view for pilots to the fact that the V-22 is a high-maintenance aircraft, these critics are wondering if these aircraft are worthy for field operations. Incidents include a flawed computer chip that led to crashes and grounded the V-22 in February and problems with bad switches surfaced later in June. Both the Government Accountability Office and internal Marine memos have warned pilots and mechanics of “numerous deviations and waivers.” Included in these warnings is that the heat of the Iraqi desert could decrease the readiness rate for even the newest V-22s. MORE