Army grounds Chinook helicopter fleet

Jack Birle

August 30, 08:27 PM August 30, 10:00 PM

The U.S. Army has grounded all of its nearly 400 H-47 Chinook helicopters due to an engine fire risk.

Army officials said they are aware of a small number of fires occurring with the engines of the helicopters and that the grounding of the fleet of helicopters was performed "out of an abundance of caution."

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Army spokeswoman Cynthia Smith told the Washington Examiner that efforts are underway to remedy any problems with the helicopters.

"The Army has identified the root cause of fuel leaks that caused a small number of engine fires among an isolated number of H-47 helicopters and is implementing corrective measures to resolve this issue. Based on the results of our investigation, some aircraft may not require corrective measures and may soon return to normal flight operations," Smith said.

Smith also said there were no injuries or deaths as a result of the malfunctions.

"While no deaths or injuries occurred, the Army temporarily grounded the H-47 fleet out of an abundance of caution until those corrective actions are complete. The safety of our soldiers is the Army’s top priority, and we will ensure our aircraft remain safe and airworthy," Smith said.

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The grounding of the helicopters, which have been used by the Army since the 1960s, may cause logistical issues for the military if too many are out of commission for an extended period of time. The move also comes as the Army is struggling to meet recruiting goals.