Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 265 aircrews conducted MV-22B Osprey functional check flights aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, recently marking the first time the Osprey has flown in Japan.

Once VMM-265, a part of Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force, completes functional check flights and pilot proficiency flights at MCAS Iwakuni, its Ospreys will be based at and operate out of MCAS Futenma.

Basing the Osprey in Okinawa will significantly strengthen the United States’ ability to provide for the defence of Japan, perform humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, and fulfill other alliance roles.

The aircraft first arrived in Japan at the end of July to the port facility here via commercial ship from San Diego, California. After arriving, the Ospreys were offloaded, inspected, and prepared for flight operations. In recognition of the Government of Japan’s concerns about the aircraft’s safety, the US Government refrained from any MV-22B flight operations in Japan until the results of mishap investigations were presented to the Government of Japan and the safety of flight operations was confirmed.