Faulty training jets may force closer collaboration between the Navy and the Air Force, according to a report by Stars and Stripes.
The Navy is considering borrowing Air Force training aircraft while the T-45s remain out of commission, the report said. The T-45s have been grounded since April 5 after about 100 instructor pilots refused to fly the planes due to safety concerns over oxygen problems, according to a Fox News report.
The grounding was lifted April 17, but only for instructor pilots. Students remain unable to fly the aircraft. The Navy typically has nearly 200 T-45s in circulation for training purposes.
"We have considered using other aircraft, potentially Air Force," said Vice Adm. Paul Grosklags, commander of Naval Air Systems Command. "But one of the key things we get out of T-45s is taking our new aviators, our new student aviators to the ship, which we can only do right now in the T-45 or in their next fleet aircraft."
The Navy has also considered delaying flight training in the training process, though this is also not an ideal solution, Grosklags said.
The Navy has not announced the primary cause of the oxygen problems, but Grosklags said either improving the plane's warning systems or completely replacing the oxygen systems are possible long-term solutions.
