All F/A-18 E/F Super Hornets and E/A-18G Growlers were temporarily grounded on Friday after an aircrew was injured and a Growler damaged in an undisclosed incident at Naval Air Station on Whidbey Island. Navy officials have reported that the aircrew of an E/A-18G jet assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron 132 was injured in a on-deck emergency at approximately 11 AM Friday morning.
The incident reportedly involved only a Growler. However, the Navy grounded all Super Hornets as a safety precaution because both aircraft share common aircraft systems. A spokesperson for Naval Air Forces, Cmdr. Jeannie Groeneveld, told reporters that two unidentified aircrew were involved. The pilot of the aircraft and an electronic warfare officer were both admitted to Harborview Medical Center.
Groeneveld told reporters that the incident involved the jet’s canopy. Naval Air Systems Command and engineers from Boeing are currently investigating the issue.
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