Guam open to Ospreys if safety concerns eased

Guam governor,Eddie Calvo has said he would be open to hosting Osprey aircraft on the Pacific island, assuming concerns about its safety are fully addressed.

"If the safety issues could be alleviated, of course I would think it would be positive," Calvo said in an interview about the possibility of hosting the tilt-rotor aircraft, which the U.S. plans to deploy next month to Okinawa.

Guam is to receive almost 5,000 U.S. Marines when their Okinawa contingent downsizes.

The marines' plan to deploy the MV-22 Osprey at the Futenma base as early as October has faced strong local opposition.

The U.S. military prizes the transport aircraft for its ability to fly like either a helicopter or an airplane. Opponents of the deployment argue the Osprey is unusually difficult to fly.

Safety concerns have been amplified by crashes earlier this year in Morocco and Florida. Pentagon crash reports suggest human error was a factor in both accidents.

The Osprey is "not a major factor" in current discussions about U.S. plans to move 4,700 marines to Guam as part of a major realignment in the Asia-Pacific region, Calvo said.

If the aircraft becomes "part of that equation," Guam will need to take a closer look at its safety record, he added.

That said, the sooner the marines arrive on Guam the better, according to Calvo. "It will be a positive impact," he said, noting their presence will be good for local businesses and increase the island's tax base.