Opening Statement (As Prepared)

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Thank you, Chairman Kelly, Chairman Bergman, and Ranking Member Courtney.

I would also like to welcome our witnesses from the Department and the GAO. The GAO has been an important partner to the Readiness subcommittee, and I thank your team for investigating V-22 accidents in response to a letter I sent to you with then-Chairman Waltz. Thank you all for appearing before the Seapower and Readiness subcommittees this morning.

Since becoming operational in 2007, the V-22 has logged well over seven hundred thousand flight hours and flown countless missions, with a unique design that has allowed it to become a versatile enabler of a wide variety of operations for the Marines Corps, Navy, and Air Force.[1]

However, we cannot overlook the problems connected with the V-22. Accidents have plagued the aircraft since it entered the force, with 20 service members having lost their lives between fiscal year 2022 and 2024 alone.[2] Fatalities and the mechanical failures connected to them have led to numerous operational pauses for the program, with its most recent pause occurring in December 2023. While the V-22 is an impressive and valuable asset for the military, these continual mishaps are simply unacceptable…, and action must be taken.  

I’m looking forward to hearing from GAO and the Department on how we’re prioritizing safety as we address risks and how the recommendations in the recently released “V-22 Comprehensive Review” will be implemented, including new material fixes and efforts to share vital maintenance information between the services. Furthermore, I would like to hear what can be done to accelerate such upgrades and changes. Timeframes for replacements and retrofits that stretch into 2033 or 2034 are simply too far into the future if it means risking the lives of more of our brave men and women. Lastly, I would like to hear the GAO's thoughts on the Department’s plans, what they might have overlooked, and what can be done to address any gaps.  

At present, the Department plans to keep flying the V-22 for at least 30 more years.[3] If this is to be the case, a more robust sustainment framework must start today, for the sake of our service members and future missions.

And with that, I want to again thank our witnesses for appearing before us today.