Two Army soldiers were injured in a helicopter crash at the Fort Riley military base in Kansas on Tuesday, the latest in a series of airborne mishaps among Army aviators.
The hospitalized soldiers were members of the Army's 1st Infantry Division, public affairs officer Lt. Col. Jefferson Grimes told Newsweek in a statement. They were flying an AH-64 Apache helicopter during the 1st Combat Aviation Brigade's gunnery training when the incident occurred.
"The crew is receiving all necessary medical treatment," Grimes told Newsweek. "They are in stable condition."
The circumstances of the crash have not been announced yet. The incident remains under investigation.
Apache AH-64 helicopters require a two-person team in order to fly. One person flies the aircraft and the other operates the weapons systems.
Powered by twin turboshaft engines, Apache helicopters can swiftly navigate through various terrains, from dense urban environments to rugged mountain ranges, with impressive speed and agility. The robust airframe, equipped with sophisticated avionics and sensor systems, enables pilots to engage targets with precision-guided munitions, including Hellfire missiles, rockets, and a 30mm chain gun.
Fort Riley is in the Flint Hills Region of Kansas. There are around15,000 active duty service members assigned to Fort Riley.
Series of Airborne Mishaps
Tuesday's Apache crash was the latest in a rising trend of aircraft crashes among Army soldiers. The pattern has forced officials to take measures to reinforce aviation training.
The Army announced mandatory training to reinforce basic flying skills for all aviators in April, following a series of 12 crashes in the past six months. Nine soldiers and one border patrol agent were killed as a result of those crashes.
The 12 reported crashes involved 11 helicopters and one C-12 fixed-wing aircraft. Two of the crashes happened within just days of each other in Colorado and Washington in March, leaving four crew members injured. Both of those incidents involved Army AH-64 Apache helicopters, Army Times reported.
In February, the Army National Guard ordered a component-wide pause on flight missions after two AH-64D Apache helicopters crashed. Units across the nation were ordered to "review safety policies and procedures."
A UH-72 Lakota helicopter also crashed in February, resulting in three fatalities.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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Jenna Sundel is a Newsweek reporter based in New Jersey. Her focus is reporting on breaking news. Jenna joined Newsweek ... Read more
