Amid US grounding, IAF's Chinook helicopter fleet operating as usual

The Chinook helicopters of the IAF are operating as usual notwithstanding the US Army grounding the entire fleet of the heavy-lift choppers over fuel leaks that caused engine fires

The Chinook helicopters of the Indian Air Force (IAF) are operating as usual notwithstanding the US Army grounding the entire fleet of the heavy-lift choppers over fuel leaks that caused a "small number" of engine fires.

People familiar with the development said on Wednesday the IAF headquarters has sent a communication to Boeing India following reports of the grounding of the Chinook CH-47 helicopters by the United States Army.

It is learnt that Boeing India has communicated to the IAF that the Chinook CH-47F(I) helicopters being operated by the force are not at all impacted by the problem that has hit the US Army fleet.

The IAF is operating 15 Chinooks at present.

"The Chinook fleet of the IAF is operating as usual," said one of the people cited above.

There was no comment on the matter by either the IAF or Boeing India.

An US Army spokesperson said the force grounded the entire fleet of its Chinook helicopters after a small number of engine fires were reported due to a fuel leak, according to a media report.

The US Army operates around 400 Chinooks.

According to reports, the US Army has identified the underlying cause of fuel leaks that caused the engine fires on the CH-47 helicopters.

The IAF has been extensively using its Chinook fleet in a variety of missions, including in Ladakh.

In April, a Chinook chopper set a record for the longest non-stop helicopter sortie by flying for seven-and-a-half hours from Chandigarh to Jorhat in Assam.

The Chinook is a multi-role, vertical-lift platform, which is used for transporting troops, artillery, equipment and fuel.

It is also used for humanitarian and disaster relief operations and in missions such as transportation of relief supplies and mass evacuation of refugees.

India had finalised a contract in September 2015 to procure 22 Apache helicopters and 15 Chinook choppers from the US at a cost of around USD 3 billion.