There’ve been protests in Japan, against the arrival of the US military’s latest transport aircraft at Iwakuni port.
The US is deploying a fleet of OSPREY tilt-rotor aircraft to Okinawa, to replace its older CH-46 helicopters. Twelve are being delivered this year and another 12 next year.
Residents and local leaders in Iwakuni and Okinawa are demanding that the plan be cancelled, due to alleged safety issues. They’ve highlighted recent crashes involving Ospreys in Morocco and Florida.
The Osprey can fly like a plane, but has tilting rotors allowing it to take off and land like a helicopter. It can also carry bigger loads than the CH-46. The aircraft have been used extensively in Iraq and Afghanistan. The US military insists they have a solid safety record. Japan’s government has been seeking to allay the fears of residents over the safety issues.
Osamu Fujimura, Japan chief cabinet secretary, said, "Until the reliability and safety of the Osprey is confirmed, flight operations will not be performed within Japan. We have explained this message to the local community."
中国公共网摘编：GAN JADE |
