A US Air Force Special Operations Command CV-22 Osprey that crashed while participating in a training exercise in Norway has been recovered.
The Osprey experienced an inflight emergency, requiring the pilots to land immediately. After six weeks of being grounded in a nature reserve on the island of Senja, the 352nd Special Operations Wing’s Osprey was recovered via crane barge on September 27.
The aircraft is now at a Norwegian military base where 752nd Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron maintainers will perform repairs to get the aircraft flying once again.
The Norwegian Armed Forces, along with the Norwegian Environmental Protection Office, developed the plans for recovering the Osprey in concurrence with the US Air Force.
The process of recovery took a long time to prepare, taking into consideration its impact on the nature. The plan involved lifting the aircraft with a crane boat, for which the aircraft had to be moved closer to the shore. This required the construction of a small “road” out of wooden materials to ensure as little harm to nature as possible.
“It was very demanding,” said Royal Norwegian Air Force Command Sergeant Major Odd Helge Wang. “The challenge was how shallow the area was, and the machine weighs 20 tons.”
Many obstacles stood in the team’s way to recovering the CV-22, including weather delays and the more sensitive hurdle of preventing damage to the local fauna.
“We’ve brought 430 tons of equipment in to carry this out, so there will be some wear and tear,” Wang said. “We have tried to do everything as gently as possible.”
a nearby Norwegian military base, Norway, Sept. 27, 2022. Photo: US Air Force
Now nestled in a military hangar, the maintenance crews will work to repair the aircraft so it may fly again. When accomplished, the Osprey will return to its home station in the United Kingdom.
“I’m so impressed by all parties involved who came together to make this recovery operation a success,” said US Air Force Lt. Col. Jeffrey Westerman, recovery mission commander for the 352nd Special Operations Wing. “This monumental operation wouldn’t have been possible without the hard work and dedication from our allies and our Air Commandos, and we are immensely grateful for everything the Norwegians have provided our team during the past weeks.”
