This article first appeared at Aerospace Daily & Defense Report.
Boeing plans to cautiously restart the CH-47 Chinook helicopter production line May 15, after shutting it down May 13 following the discovery of what the company is calling irregularities in two aircraft.
Rep. Joe Sestak (D-Pa.), whose district includes the Chinook plant, said he learned of severed wires on one of the CH-47s and a suspicious washer in a subsystem of the second aircraft. “After having several briefings [on the matter], I think there’s a low probability this wasn’t deliberate,” Sestak said. “But it’s not out of the question that it’s the result of an accident.“
Operations were suspended on the primary and final assembly segments of the line, and the investigation is focusing on subassemblies and structure modifications, according to Boeing officials (Aerospace DAILY, May 14). Second– and third-shift workers discovered the problems May 13 and helped inspect the additional helicopters on the line to determine if the irregularities were more widespread. The other six helicopters did not appear to have any problems.
Company procedure requires any issues to be reported to the Defense Contract Management Agency, which has numerous representatives placed on-site. The agency then passes its findings on to the Defense Criminal Investigation Service, which, despite its name, does not imply criminal activity, a Boeing official said. “But that has yet to be determined,” the official said.
“They found it like they should have found it,” Sestak told Aerospace DAILY. “The system worked. Now we have to figure out how and why it happened.”
Aaaah, I see. The Dems are racing towards a huge win in November, the free cash ride that the defence contractors had under eight years of Bush and a pointless war in Iraq now looks to end. (When is uncertain, naturally, but a scale-down is inevitable.) The boogiemen stories that the GOP have used to win elections since 9/11 (orange alert!) don’t see to work any more. So what happens? Mysteeeeeeeeeeeeerious sabotage at a defence contractor! The enemy within!
Sorry, but I’m a gonna call bullshit on this one. I think that former VAdm Sestak should take a much closer look at what they’re telling him. I don’t think that a company that stands to make many millions on a contract is above lying its ass off to protect its interests.
“I think there’s a low probability this wasn’t deliberate”…?!
I can’t not say that it doesn’t perhaps sound like there might never have not been any espionage that may or may not have played a role in this situation.
The phrasing of the press release and the nature of the defects found:
>severed wires on one of the CH-47s and a suspicious
>washer in a subsystem of the second aircraft.
and the fact that Defense Criminal Investigation Service was immediately involved strongly suggest deliberate sabotage.
What is missing here is motive.
Make no projections as to what is going on until that is known.
We know the “what” and perhaps the “where and “when.“
The “who” and “how” are on the table.
What to listen for in this story:
1) The sabotaged wires will have tool marks.
It is likely all the wire cutting and crimping tools at this Boeing plant were tested during the down time to create a forensic finger print data base to match up with the sabotaged wires.
If none of the tool marks match and tools are missing, that too will be a line of investigation.
2) The washers may have forensic value as well in terms of finger prints, oils and other residue.
Listen for large number of people getting sampled or finger printed.
3) Expect rumors of recently fired or disciplined disgruntled workers will show up regardless of the truth before long.
Most likely possibility: Apprentice electrician screwed up with the wire crimper.
Next most likely possibility: disgruntled employee with a grudge against management.
Unlikely: terrorism
Here is a slightly off-topic question,why doesn’t the army either contract with or buy back from Erickson Air-Crane use of their upgraded CH-54 Tarhe Skycrane? I know that people on this blog have a total aversion to “re-cycling” older weapon systems.The Sky-Crane can both supplement the CH-47 Chinook & carry equipment too heavy for the Chinook to places unreachable for CH-130s or other heavy lift aircraft.I have not seen anything that we have that can replace the CH-54 Skycrane that we “retired” in the early 90s.I’ve seen drawings & scale models of ideas,but nothing concrete.Did the Military-Industrial Complex “retire” the Skycrane so that they could “suddenly” discover a need for such an aircraft & extort more money from us tax payers for another “new aircraft scam?”