Marines Crisis Response Group in Spain to lose half of the MV-22s 40905162

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Defence & Security News - USA
 
Marines Crisis Response Group in Spain to lose half of the MV-22s
The Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force in Spain will lose half of its Bell MV-22B air assets. The force was set up to respond in crisis situations in Africa, in the aftermath of the US Consulate in Benghazi incident. According to Marine Corps Times, the response group will have six of the 12 tiltrotor platforms sent back to the US.
     
Marines Crisis Response Group in Spain lose half of the MV-22s
Marines boarding a Bell MV-22B tiltrotor aircraft at Moron Air Base, in Spain (Photo: USMC)
     

The Ospreys have proven to be highly valuable platforms, always in demand for the USMC’s operations. Nevertheless, that has put a great strain on the crews, the maintenance staff and the aircraft. Therefore, they all spend only a minimum amount of time at their homes between deployments.

The decision to send them back will decrease the stress on the personnel and support their operational readiness in the long-run, according the USMC officials. Marine Corps spokeswoman Capt. Sarah Burns told the Marine Corps Times that the time ration between deployment and back home was 1:3 but in the past 15 yeas it has fallen back to 1:2.

Marine Corps Commander, General Joseph Dunford, said that the reduction of the Ospreys is indeed a setback but the Corps had to balance both risks.