Repeated engine fires ground the U.S. Army’s fleet of CH-47 Chinooks

The U.S. Army has grounded its entire fleet of CH-47 Chinook helicopters following several engine fire incidents.

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The grounding of the Chinook helicopters, a workhorse since the 1960s, could pose logistical problems for U.S. soldiers, depending on the duration of the measure. The Army has about 400 helicopters in its fleet.

The affected aircraft are those made by Boeing Co, powered by Honeywell engines, people familiar with the matter said. Boeing declined to comment.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Army officials reported that a small number of engine fires were reported on the helicopters. And while the incidents did not result in any injuries or deaths, «out of an abundance of caution», action was taken to ground the machines until corrective actions are completed.

«The Army has identified the root cause of the fuel leaks that resulted in a small number of engine fires on an isolated number of H-47 helicopters, and is implementing corrective actions to resolve this issue,» spokeswoman Cynthia Smith said in a statement.

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A Honeywell spokesman said they were working with the U.S. Army to determine the cause of the fires, which appear to involve certain components known as O-rings, produced by a subcontractor company, that did not meet the company’s design specifications.

The parts were reportedly installed during routine maintenance at an Army facility. While declining to name the subcontractor that manufactured the parts, the Honeywell spokesman said the company is working to supply the Army with replacement parts.