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Yasur helicopters return to active IAF service after being briefly grounded
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent.
The chief of the Israeli Air Force has returned a fleet of heavy transport helicopters back to service, after they were grounded following a technical malfunction last week.
In a statement, the IAF says Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar decided to allow the Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion — known in Israel as the Yasur — helicopters to fly again following consultations on the matter yesterday.
On Friday, Bar grounded the Yasur fleet after a technical malfunction caused one helicopter to make an emergency landing several days earlier.
The decision to return the fleet to duty is made following the “completion of a thorough and comprehensive examination and verification that the fleet can return to safe operation,” the military says.
Yasur choppers have been in use for over half a century and have seen a number of maintenance issues in recent years, leading to them being grounded for short periods. They are due to be replaced in the coming years.
