Indian Chinook Helicopters 'Operational', Indian Air Force Seeks Details Behind US Grounding Them

India has about 15 CH-47 Chinook helicopters, which play a vital role in airlift operations for the military at higher altitudes.

Chinook helicopter

After the US Army Tuesday grounded its entire fleet of Chinook helicopters, over the risk of engine fires, the Indian Air Force said that its fleet of Chinook helicopters is still operational. They, however sought details from Boeing - the manufacturer - for the grounding of the entire fleet by the US Army, reported news agency ANI. 

Indian Air Force Chinook helicopter fleet is still operational. 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: Government officials

(File photo) pic.twitter.com/oUmEkOriab

— ANI (@ANI) August 31, 2022

The news was first broken by the Wall Street Journal that said the step to ground the entire fleet of Chinook CH-47 helicopters, serving the US army since 1960s, was taken out of abundance of caution, reported PTI.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the US Army was aware of few incidences of engine fires in the helicopters, which did not result in any injuries or deaths.

"One of the officials said the fires occurred in recent days,” the Journal said. "The U.S. Army Materiel Command grounded the fleet of hundreds of helicopters out of an abundance of caution."

More than 70 helicopters contain a part suspected to cause the problem, said US army officials to the daily, as reported by PTI.

With 400 Chinook helicopters in its fleet, the grounding of the helicopters could pose logistical challenges for American soldiers.

India had purchased about 15 CH-47 Chinook helicopters from the US, which play a vital role in airlift operations for the military, particularly in the higher altitudes like Ladakh and Siachen glaciers where Indian forces are deployed.

The first batch of Chinook helicopters were purchased by India from Boeing in February 2019. And the delivery to the Indian Air Force was completed in 2020.