Daniel Goure's support for the US Marine Corps aviation programmes is commendable (Flight International, 11-17 February), but there is a disturbing area which needs to be addressed.
Attrition of the Boeing/BAE Systems AV-8B Harrier is an embarrassment. The aircraft has the highest accident rate of any flying in the US military. There is a real concern now that the Harrier fleet will diminish below a critical minimum fleet level before the delivery of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighters later in the decade.
The Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey is a remarkable vehicle, but how will it perform in the notorious sandy conditions of the Middle East?
Michael Jolley Tucson , Arizona, USA
Source: Flight International
