Following engine fires on a few of its 400 CH-47 Chinook transport helicopters, the US Army grounded the whole fleet.
A spokesperson for the US Army claimed in a statement on August 30 that “The Army has discovered the underlying cause of a fuel leak that caused a number of engine fires in a handful of isolated CH-47 helicopters and is taking steps to remedy the issue.”
No one has been killed or hurt in instances involving CH-47 Chinook engine fires, according to an Army spokesperson, but the grounding will be carried out “with the utmost care” until corrective measures are finished.
The US official did not say how long the helicopter squadron should be out of service.
The Boeing CH-47 Chinook has been regarded as the primary transport aircraft for US military logistics since it was first used by the US Army in the early 1960s. There are 22 countries in the globe where this helicopter is in operation.
All Chinook helicopters were modified by the US Army to the CH-47D model in 1982, which has a more powerful engine and can carry up to 9 tonnes of weight. It is possible to support military operations or provide humanitarian aid with the CH47-D Chinook.
The CH47-D has a range of more than 600 kilometres and a top speed of 300 km/h. Additionally, it is one of the US military’s swiftest helicopters.
The CH47-D comes with three M270 7.62 machine guns and numerous contemporary characteristics. Additionally, the CH47-D Chinook is furnished with tools for blocking invading radar waves.
The CH-47 Chinook can deliver armoured vehicles, combat aircraft, and a variety of military equipment to the battle zone in addition to hauling soldiers and weaponry. This helicopter has the largest transport capacity in the entire world.
