Pentagon Delays Deployment of Three CV-22 Osprey Aircraft to Japan Until 2020

The scheduled deployment to Japan in 2017 of three special operations CV-22 Osprey aircraft has been delayed until 2020, the US Department of Defense announced in a statement.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Originally, the aircraft were scheduled to arrive to Japan in the fourth quarter of 2017, according to the press release.

"The US Department of Defense (DOD) announced an adjustment to the arrival of the initial three CV-22 Osprey aircraft to be based at Yokota Air Base, Japan," the statement said on Monday. "Originally announced to arrive in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2017, DOD now expects their permanent arrival in fiscal year 2020."

Yokota airbase rests in Fussa, Japan within the densely populated Tokyo Metropolitan Area. When the deployment of the Osprey's was announced in May 2015, Fussa residents complained about the potential for accidents involving the Osprey aircraft.

Ealier it was reported that the US-based Bell-Boeing Joint Project Office (JPO) won a $138 million Navy engineering contract to develop and test the V-22 Osprey tilt rotor aircraft for Japan.

Since 2007, the Osprey has had four crashes and a number of accidents.

The permanent stationing of the Osprey's will allow US special operations units to rapidly respond when called upon by commanders in Japan and across the Asia-Pacific region.