Another Air Force fleet grounded over fears plane tails may fall off
By Rachel S. Cohen
Mar 2, 04:06 PM
A U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry airborne warning and control system aircraft assigned to the 968th Expeditionary Airborne Air Control Squadron conducts aerial operations within the U.S. Air Forces Central area of responsibility Sept. 6, 2022. (Master Sgt. Matthew Plew/Air Force)
This story was updated March 3 to include new information from NATO and Air Combat Command.
The big search for a tiny component that could cause an airplane’s tail to fall off has uncovered the problem on at least two dozen Air Force jets across at least five aircraft fleets. But the Air Force won’t say exactly how many planes have turned up with potentially dangerous parts.
The E-3 Sentry aerial target tracking planes on Wednesday became the latest to undergo inspection for subpar tail pins, the service’s Air Combat Command confirmed Thursday.
All E-3s in the field were inspected, Air Force spokesperson Capt. Laura Hayden said in an email. Most have returned to regular operations. The Air Force declined to answer how many Sentries needed replacement parts but said enough Sentries have been cleared to meet its daily needs.
“The only aircraft requiring inspection are in depot maintenance and will be inspected before leaving the depot facility,” Hayden said. “No mishaps have occurred in the E-3 … as a result of non-conforming pins.”
https://www.defensenews.com/news/your-air-force/2023/03/02/another-air-force-fleet-grounded-over-fears-plane-tails-may-fall-off/
