The new year should bring more answers from the Navy regarding why the sea service’s fleet of T-45 Goshawk training jets were grounded last fall.
Flights for the Goshawks, which are used to train Navy and Marine Corps fighter pilots, were halted on Oct. 14 after an engine blade failure was discovered on one of the planes, according to Naval Air Systems Command, or NAVAIR.
The Navy resumed flight operations for part of its T-45C Goshawk jet trainer fleet later that month, but officials are declining to say how many of the aircraft have since returned to the skies, citing operational security.
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Earlier this month, NAVAIR officials said they continue to clear additional aircraft for flight operations “only after engine modules have been thoroughly inspected and are determined to be compliant with manufacturing specifications.”
“The Navy and industry partner Rolls Royce are in the final stages of identifying the root cause of the recent T-45 engine issue,” the command said in a statement to Navy Times on Dec. 2. “We expect more information from the analysis to be available next year.”
Geoff is the managing editor of Military Times, but he still loves writing stories. He covered Iraq and Afghanistan extensively and was a reporter at the Chicago Tribune. He welcomes any and all kinds of tips at geoffz@militarytimes.com.
