United States Marine Corps: MRF-D will fly Osprey helicopters for Northern Territory based training

Almost 10 months after a deadly crash over the Tiwi Islands and a global grounding, a controversial aircraft is back in action and heading to the NT for training. But silence surrounds whether Aussie soldiers will be allowed on board.

A worldwide grounding of the Osprey aircraft was lifted in March 2024. Picture: 1st Marine Aircraft Wing.

Almost 10 months after a deadly air crash over the Tiwi Islands, the US Marines are back to flying Osprey aircraft in Top End skies, but it is unclear whether their Australian brethren will be joining them in the controversial chopper.

On Friday, Marine Rotation Force – Darwin (MRF-D) confirmed Osprey tilt rotors were locked-in for military exercises across the 2024 training year.

Troops got the first glimpse of the airframes they will deploy from, after 1st Marine Aircraft Wing posted images of a MV-22B Osprey line-up which was destined for the Territory.

It is understood the incoming Ospreys will make the trip from Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, for Darwin in the coming weeks.

In December 2023, the tilt rotor aircraft was grounded worldwide by the US Department of Defense after a string of deadly incidents, including a crash over the Tiwi Islands in which three US Marines died.

Osprey helicopters destined for Darwin. Picture: 1st Marine Aircraft Wing. Picture: 1st Marine Aircraft Wing.

The Australian Defence Force do not operate Ospreys, however, as a partner of the United States Marine Corps, Australian troops have previously boarded the aircraft for training exercise purposes.

Questions from the NT News to the ADF as to whether Australian soldiers would be permitted to board Ospreys were not answered.

Osprey helicopters destined for Darwin. Picture: 1st Marine Aircraft Wing.

On August 27, 2023, Captain Eleanor LeBeau, Major Tobin Lewis and Corporal Spencer Collart were killed after their MV-22 Osprey went down on the first day of Exercise Predators Run.

Another five Marines were transported to Royal Darwin Hospital with serious injuries.

Three months later in November, another Osprey crash in Japan claimed the lives of eight US Marines.

This second tragedy resulted in the Pentagon ordering a global freeze on the airframe from being flown.

A safety review was launched by the United States government into the aircraft.

After three months of examinations, the Pentagon lifted the grounding and declared the platform suitable for aircrews.

Originally published as United States Marine Corps: MRF-D will fly Osprey helicopters for Northern Territory based training