Finnish Air Force grounds Hawk fleet after technical malfunction
The Finnish Air Force has suspended all flights involving its Hawk jet trainer fleet following a technical malfunction during a training flight on Wednesday. The decision was confirmed by the Defence Forces after reports first emerged in Keskisuomalainen and Lentoposti.
The incident prompted the cancellation of the Midnight Hawks aerobatic team’s scheduled performance and flyover at the opening ceremony of the Jyväskylä World Rally Championship on Wednesday evening (Lentoposti). A representative from the Defence Command Communications told Iltalehti that the suspension is a precautionary measure, with investigations underway to determine the cause of the fault. "If a component in that aircraft was faulty, then everything in the same category will be checked," the representative said. Operations will resume only once safety can be assured.
This is not the first time the Hawk fleet has been grounded. The aircraft were last taken out of service in May 2023 after a jet trainer crashed in Keuruu, Central Finland, during a training flight. An investigation later revealed that the accident was caused by the breaking of a low-pressure compressor blade in the jet engine (Yle). The current suspension remains in effect until the ongoing investigation is completed.