Stars and Stripes takes a look at whether budget cuts by the U.S. Congress and the White House have lead to an increase in helicopter crashes involving all the branches of the U.S. military.
U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Lance Cpl. Maximiliano
Last year, there were twelve helicopter crashes – most of them were home-station training missions – which killed 30 service members. This year, twelve Marines died when their CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters with HMH-463 went down off Hawaii.
Budget cuts so far has forced the services to reduce the number of flying hours for non-deployed units. Former pilots say with fewer hours, training missions become more dangerous as pilots are less proficient.
“There is no doubt whatsoever that reduced flying hours equal increased [accidents] and fatalitie,” said retired Cmdr. Chris Harmer, a defense analyst at the Institute for the Study of War.