US Army pilots grounded after two fatal air crashes
The US Army's Chief of Staff has grounded all army pilots not involved in critical missions.
The announcement was made after four helicopters crashed in a matter of weeks.
Two AH-64 Apache helicopters collided in Alaska on Thursday, killing three soldiers and injuring a fourth, while two Black Hawks crashed in Kentucky at the end of March, leaving nine dead.
US Army pilots will remain grounded until they complete extra training, which will reportedly focus on safety and training protocols to ensure pilots and crews have the knowledge, training and awareness to safely complete their assigned mission.
In a statement, the US Army said: "The move grounds all army aviators, except those participating in critical missions, until they complete the required training.
"During the stand-down, the Army will review the risk approval/risk management process, aviation maintenance training program, aircrew training standardization and management, and supervisory responsibility."
Active-duty units must complete the training between the first weeks of May and National Guard and Reserve units have until the end of May.
Once a unit has reported to have completed the training they will be able to return to the air.
The stand-down does not affect any other branch of the US military.
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