A senior lawmaker in the US House of Representatives has introduced legislation that calls for a congressional investigation into the latest wave of deadly aviation mishaps involving US military aircraft.
Adam Smith, the ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, presented the bill on Monday hoping to establish an independent commission on military aviation safety.
We need to “understand exactly what causes are contributing to military aviation accidents, how current rates compare to historic averages, and what steps we can take to improve military aviation safety,” the lawmaker said.
The commission will review military incidents from fiscal year 2013 to 2018 and compare them to historic averages.
Smith has chosen 2013 because it was the first year that large congressional budget cuts, known as sequestration, were approved. The cuts have been partly blamed for the rise in aerial mishaps.
A review by the Military Times suggests…