Lawmakers grilled Navy and Defense Department officials, asking about the November crash, as well as why the Osprey has contributed to a staggering 20 service member deaths in the last two years.
The jet was en route to Edwards Air Force Base in California from Fort Worth, Texas, when the incident occurred, according to a spokesperson for Lockheed Martin, which builds the fifth-generation fighter jets.
In the backdrop of humming sewing machines and buzzing scanners, the celebration reached a crescendo as Captain Ryosuke Sugimoto of the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force proudly donned his custom-tailored helmet, marking the 1,000th F-35 pilot outfitted with precision and care.
Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy V-22 Ospreys were all given the green light to fly again in early March and have been slowly taking to the skies following a tragic crash that killed eight airmen late last year in Japan.