Two US Ospreys reportedly make emergency landings in Japan
Two US military Osprey aircraft made separate emergency landings at airports on Japanese islands on 14 August, with no injuries or damage reported, local media said.
One of the two MV-22 Ospreys landed at Amami Airport in southwestern Kagoshima prefecture on 14 August afternoon, according to the Kyodo and Jiji news agencies.
The tilt-rotor aircraft left the Japanese airport two hours later, interrupting some commercial flights, public broadcaster NHK said.
The other Osprey made an emergency landing further south at the US Kadena Air Base in Okinawa on 10 August afternoon, Kyodo said, quoting government sources.
There were no reports of injuries or damage following the two incidents.
Immediate confirmation of the news reports was not available.
The Osprey, a hybrid helicopter-turboprop with a chequered safety record, has two engines positioned on fixed wingtips that allow it to land and take off vertically. It can travel much faster than a helicopter.
Several accidents involving US military aircraft in Japan have stoked tensions between Washington and Tokyo and led to protests against the deployment of Ospreys by residents living near US bases.
The incidents have included emergency landings by US military helicopters, a piece of a helicopter falling on the grounds of a Japanese school, and the deadly crash in 2017 of an MV-22 Osprey which forced a massive rescue operation.
US Defense Secretary James Mattis apologised to his Japanese counterpart over the mishaps in January 2018.
You may also like
More from Defence Notes
-
![Top-level commitments but no meat in UK Defence Industrial Strategy’s Statement of Intent]()
Top-level commitments but no meat in UK Defence Industrial Strategy’s Statement of Intent
The initial document focused more on creating the right partnerships and inspiring investment in defence than on any details of how future UK Armed Forces would be armed.
-
![UK begins process on new industrial strategy]()
UK begins process on new industrial strategy
The first stage of developing a new UK Defence Industrial Strategy has highlighted failings in current structures with solutions expected to be proposed in next year’s full strategy.
-
![Romanians put pro-Russian candidate into presidential runoff even as the government spends west]()
Romanians put pro-Russian candidate into presidential runoff even as the government spends west
Romania joined NATO more than two decades ago and the country is vital to the alliance’s geographic reach and its ability to supply Ukraine with weapons.
-
![What the future holds for Ukraine and NATO under a Trump administration]()
What the future holds for Ukraine and NATO under a Trump administration
Although Trump’s geopolitics policy for Europe remains unclear, defence analysts from the US and Europe predict how his incoming administration would attempt to handle critical issues on the continent.
-
![RUSI deputy: UK needs longer procurement plans and improved awareness of US sift to Indo-Pacific]()
RUSI deputy: UK needs longer procurement plans and improved awareness of US sift to Indo-Pacific
The UK budget announced in Parliament on 30 October was the first by a Labour government in 14 years which has also launched a review into defence procurement programmes.
-
![Australia outlines longer punch and brings local industry onboard]()
Australia outlines longer punch and brings local industry onboard
The Australian government has placed a focus on Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) which has included the purchase of additional long-range rocket systems and investments in local production of missiles.
