(Washington) The U.S. Army grounded its fleet of H-47 Chinook helicopters, emblematic of U.S.-led wars from Vietnam to the Middle East, after multiple engine fires, the military said Tuesday. .
Posted yesterday at 11:29 p.m.
The move will effectively decommission some 400 well-armed and heavy-duty Chinooks due to what engine maker Honeywell described as ‘suspicious O-rings’, which are used in some of the devices and no longer fit. to their specifications.
“The military has identified the cause of the fuel leaks that caused a small number of engine fires in an isolated number of H-47 helicopters, and is implementing measures to address this issue,” Cynthia Smith said. , spokesman for the Army.
“Although there were no fatalities or injuries, the Army has temporarily grounded the H-47 fleet out of an abundance of caution until remedial action is complete,” it said. she detailed, quoted in a press release.
Chinooks, originally known as CH-47s, are used in the US Armed Forces, the UK and around 20 other countries. They are made by Boeing.
Featuring two parallel rotors, these helicopters can carry heavy loads and are well armed for combat situations.
They are also frequently used for disaster relief missions.
At the beginning of 2022, Germany announced that it would buy 60 of these devices.
Honeywell claimed not to be responsible for the O-rings, without specifying where they were made or who installed them.
“The U.S. Army and Honeywell were able to validate that none of the questionable O-rings were from or part of a Honeywell production or Honeywell overhauled engine,” the company said.