'Things are bad and getting worse': Investigation finds disturbing connection between defense cuts and deadly military aviation accidents

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April 9, 2018 8:57 PM

A new Military Times report shows that accidents involving all US military aircraft rose 40% between the 2013 and 2017 fiscal years.

A new Military Times report shows that accidents involving all US military aircraft rose 40% between the 2013 and 2017 fiscal years.
The accidents line up with massive budget cuts that Congress put in place during the sequestration.
There has also been an increase in flight hours, despite a shortage of pilots.
The report is the first time anyone has mapped the crashes against the sequester.

A staggering report from the Military Times concludes that accidents involving all aircraft of the US military rose 40% between the

The accidents are likely tied to the massive budget cuts that Congress put in place during the sequestration, as well as to an increase in flight hours despite a shortage of pilots.

The report is the first time the deadly crashes have been mapped against the sequester, showing the effect budget cuts may have on the military, according to Military Times .

Approximately 5,500 accidents occurred in the four year period, but the Military Times database records 7,590 accidents that have happened since 2011. They were divided in three categories: Class-A, Class-B, and Class-C.

Class-A was defined as an accident that resulted in "extreme damage, aircraft destroyed or fatality." Class-B was defined as an accident that rustled in "major damage," and Class-C as "some damage."

Class-C accidents were the majority of the mishaps at 6,322. Class-B accidents were second at 744, followed by Class-A accidents at 524. The last three of those accidents, which killed at least

In addition to the cost of life, the various categories also take financial costs into account. Class-A accidents cost the most, at $2 million or more. Class-B follows at $500,000 or more, and Class-C at $50,000 or more.

For

The budget cuts due to the sequestration efforts have long angered many in the Department of Defense. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis said in February that

The Air Force has responded to the report with an announcement that they have launched an investigation into the large amounts of Class-C accidents. They also stressed that Class-A incidents have been on the decline.

"Any Class A accident is one too many," Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Stephen "Seve" Wilson said in an interview with Military.com.

"The safest year ever was 2014, and 2017 was our second safest year, so our Class A mishaps have been trending down," he added.

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