The United States Army has grounded its entire fleet of 400 Chinook helicopters characterized by their two rotors. Its engine-maker Honeywell said the decision was taken due to a technical issue arising out of suspected O rings that are used to block a path that allows a liquid or gas to escape.
US Army spokesperson Cynthia Smith said the authorities have identified the fault that caused engine fires in some helicopters and are taking measures to resolve the issue. She said the fleet was grounded out of an "abundance of caution".
Meanwhile, the Indian Air Force which uses many Chinook helicopters has sought details of the grounding of the fleet from its manufacturer Boeing.
How many Chinook helicopters does IAF have?
IAF has a fleet of 15 Boeing-made Chinook helicopters. The country acquired the fleet from the US in March 2019. Centre's officials told news agency ANI that India's Chinook fleet was fully operational as they have not encountered the issue the US Army has. "India has sought details of the reasons which have led to the grounding of the entire fleet of US Army's Chinook CH-47 helicopters because of a risk of engine fires," officials said.
India's Chinook fleet is stationed in Chandigarh and Assam to take care of the operational needs of the north and the northeast parts of the country.
Chinook helicopters have proven themselves as an effective tool for airlift operations in places like Ladakh and Siachen.
How capable are Chinook helicopters?
Chinook has a system called the tandem rotor. It has two rotors that give it massive lifting capabilities. It is named after the Native American people of Oregon and Washington. It was commissioned in the US Army in the early 1960s.
It can lift very heavy weights. It has multiple doors to load cargo and three external ventral cargo hooks to carry suspended loads. Its top speed is 310 km per hour. It is one of the fastest helicopters in the world. Apart from Lockheed C-130 Hercules, it is the only cargo aircraft designed in 1960 that is being manufactured and used in active service.
The civilian version of the helicopter is used for carrying passengers, transport, and aerial firefighting.
It is also very effective in rescue and relief missions during national disasters, due to its capability to carry heavy loads.
It has also been used for civil aviation.
The armed forces of the US, Britain, Italy, Canada, Australia, India, and many other US allies use these helicopters for national defense.
After the United States Army, Britain is the helicopters' largest user. Chinook is powered by two engines mounted towards the rear of the helicopter and they are connected via drive shafts. Both these engines have a combined power of a whopping 4000 horsepower. Due to its two engines, the helicopter has better stability while hovering, thus making it one of the most suitable equipment for a variety of tasks.
Boeing has licensed Chinook to be built in some companies outside the United States, such as AugustaWestland and Kawasaki.
