Fox News contributor Dr. Rebecca Grant discusses the U.S. striking targets in Iraq and Syria after a drone attack killed three U.S. soldiers and Houthi rebels' continued attacks in the Red Sea on 'Fox News Live.'

Last Friday, the Marines, Navy and Air Force gave the V-22 Osprey the green light to return to flying status three months after the fatal crash of an Air Force CV-22 in the seas off Japan. It was a bold decision, given that this was the fourth V-22 crash in two years.

But the simple fact is that so much depends on the one-of-a-kind Osprey: everything from secure embassy evacuations to deliveries to aircraft carriers at sea. And the Marines don’t go to war without it.

The Osprey fleet will take careful steps getting back in the air. Crews must have refresher training and implement new maintenance procedures. "There is a strong desire to return to fly because this is a capability we want to have," said Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind, commander, Air Force Special Operations Command on Feb. 20.

A U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey flys past HMAS Canberra off the coast of Darwin during Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2023. (Australian Department of Defense)

The Pentagon isn’t saying exactly which mechanical part caused the Nov. 29 crash, although divers recovered the black box. Curious as I am, the secrecy is understandable. The Ospreys will fly and fight for a long time, and officials don’t want to give Chinese snoops any insights.

MY CHINESE DRONE BAN IS A BIG WIN FOR US NATIONAL SECURITY BUT CCP TECH STILL POSES MAJOR THREATS

With threats from China increasing, a new era for the Osprey is just beginning. Here’s why.

First, the advanced tiltrotor technology is spectacular

The V-22 Osprey has a fixed wing with two engines that pivot so the V-22 can fly like a plane, or hover and move like a helicopter. Admit it. You’ve never seen anything like the Osprey.

In recent years the Ospreys have........

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