<p class="ingestion featured-caption">Recent crashes have renewed scrutiny on the V-22 Osprey's troubled safety record.Getty images</p><ul class="summary-list"><li>The V-22 Osprey is a troop transport with a helicopter's versatility and a turboprop's speed.</li><li>But the V-22 has crashed several times since becoming operational in 2007, killing over 50 people.</li></ul><p>The <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/v-22-osprey-features-in-pictures-2014-4">V-22 Osprey</a> is a unique <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/heres-what-its-like-fly-quirky-mv-22-osprey-part-plane-part-helicopter-2016-11">tiltrotor aircraft</a> that operates as a hybrid between a helicopter and a fixed-wing aircraft.</p><p>Since its first flight<strong> </strong>in 1989, the Osprey has become a workhorse aircraft for the US Navy and <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-marine-pilots-fly-the-84-million-osprey-military-aircraft-2022-2">Marine Corps</a>, as well as Air Force special operators. Its ability to hover in midair, fly long distances on a variety of missions, and carry up to 24 people makes it a versatile tool for various missions.</p><p>Though a valuable asset, the Osprey has a <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-military-says-its-done-buying-mv22-cv22-cmv22-ospreys-2023-5">long history of controversy</a>, funding issues, accidents, and death, earning it the nickname "<a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/is-the-osprey-most-dangerous-aircraft-in-the-us-military-2024-7">the widow-maker</a>."</p>