Has budget cuts lead to more U.S. military helicopter crashes?

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.

HMH-463 Memorial Ceremony 2016
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.

[thumb]http://www.stripes.com/news/slew-of-military-helicopter-deaths-raises-question-of-whether-budget-cuts-endanger-troops-1.390587[/thumb]