Some F-35s Grounded
US military grounds some of its top fighter jets – media
RT ~ December 30, 2022
An undisclosed number of F-35s have reportedly been taken out of service on concerns raised by a recent crash
America’s F-35 fighter jets have reportedly come under new scrutiny after a crash earlier this month at a base in Texas raised safety concerns about the aircraft, prompting the grounding of some planes for an investigation.
Some versions of the F-35 have been sidelined for special inspections under an order issued earlier this week, the F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) told The Hill media outlet on Thursday. The JPO didn’t disclose how many aircraft have been grounded or the specific concerns that are being investigated.
The order recommended restrictions on “a small number of aircraft, which have been evaluated to be of higher risk, from flight operations and until procedures can be developed for their return to flight,” an unidentified JPO official said. The JPO is working with the US military branches that employ the F-35, as well as foreign buyers of the aircraft, “to ensure understanding of the risks identified.”
The decision follows a December 15 crash involving an F-35B Lightning II, the new US Marine Corps variant of the fighter jet, at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth. The hovering aircraft was landing vertically when it appeared to bounce upward before falling forward and skidding around on its nose and right wing. The pilot ejected as the plane fell back onto its landing gear into a level position.
Joel Huan
The Mystery of Ephraim 