(WASHINGTON) — The Pentagon is expected to lift its flight ban on V-22 Osprey as early as next week, clearing the way for the services to fly the tilt-rotor aircraft once again after nearly three months after it was grounded.
The decision was briefed to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Friday, a U.S. official confirmed to ABC News.
The Naval Air Systems Command grounded the aircraft last December following a crash off Japan that killed eight airmen. Earlier in the year, three Marines died in a separate crash involving the Osprey during a training exercise off the northern coast of Australia.
The decision meant that all versions of the Osprey flown by the Marine Corps, Air Force and Navy were grounded.
It’s unlikely the services will be flying the V-22 right away. It’s expected that once a ground bulletin is lifted, the services will be given instructions on specific action items to take before putting the Osprey in the air again.
Then, it will be up to each service to decide how to use the aircraft.
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