The US Army announced it has grounded its fleet of about 400 Chinook cargo helicopters after fuel leaks caused a “small number” of engine fires. Reports said that the extreme step was taken out of abundance of caution.
Army spokeswoman Cynthia Smith said the Army has identified the cause of the leaks and is working to resolve the problem. Smith said that some aircraft may not requires the fix, so they may be able to return to flight soon.
Chinooks are used by the US Army and by the armed forces of more than 19 countries around the world including India many of which have been operating Chinooks for several decades.
It is the Army’s key heavy-lift helicopter, used to transport troops and equipment, and was a familiar sight in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.
Used for 60 Years Across Globe
The Chinook were originally deployed in the Vietnam War and has been used for over 60 years. Though it was designed Designed to carry around 36 passengers, one Chinook is reported to have carried 147 refugees in a single lift during the last days of the Vietnam War. Since then, the aircraft has undergone a series of upgrades to increase lift and lethality in combat environments.
It is considered the world’s fastest military helicopter with a maximum speed of 315 kilometres per hour. It has been deployed by the US across many countries including Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and others. The US and UK remains the largest operators.
India has 15 Chinooks
India has about 15 CH-47 Chinook helicopters. Over the past few years, they have emerged as one of the major military tools for airlift operations in places like Ladakh and Siachen glaciers to assist Indian forces deployed in these regions.
India received the first batch of Chinook helicopters in February 2019. Boeing completed the delivery of 15 Chinook helicopters to the Indian Air Force in 2020. Officials told the Wall Street Journal the US Army was aware of a small number of engine fires in the helicopters, and the incidents didn’t result in any injuries or deaths.
India Seeks Reasons from US
India on Wednesday sought details of the reasons behind the grounding of the entire fleet of the helicopters over the risk of engine fires.
In India these helicopters have emerged as one of the major military tools for operations in difficult terrain including Ladakh and Siachen glaciers and to assist Indian forces deployed in these regions.
Read all the Latest News India and Breaking News here
Comments
0 comment