Faulty US F-35 leads 'Israel' to ground 11 type B F-35s
Israeli occupation air force says it has grounded 11 F-35s type B after an aircraft of this type crashed in Texas earlier this month.
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Screenshot taken from a video shows F-35 crashed fighter jet at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base in Fort Worth, Texas, Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022. (KDFW via AP)
The Israeli occupation Air Force said on Sunday that it will ground 11 F-35 fighter jets.
The decision comes after an F-35 type B belonging to the United States Air Force crashed earlier this month in Texas.
The Israeli occupation military noted that this decision comes following data collected from the Texas crash that might indicate a malfunction in the fighter jet, which "Israel" will inspect to find out if its F-35 fleet is also similarly flawed.
"The IAF will analyze the findings from the incident and will draw conclusions and recommendations for the safe return of the aircraft to operational duty," the Israeli airforce spokesperson said.
Read more: Germany signs €10bln deal with US to purchase 35 F-35 jets
A history of flaws
Last December 16, an F-35 operated by the US Marine Corps crashed in northern Texas following a failed landing attempt, where the jet nose-dived into the ground shortly after its wheels made contact with the ground, while the pilot was able to eject safely.
This is not the first crash involving the F-35 fighter plane, as the program has been heavily criticized in recent years due to its massive cost yet underwhelming system.
F-35As were rated as "operationally unready" 234 times over a year and a half since January 2021 in South Korea due to malfunctions, a South Korean lawmaker said on Tuesday.
Earlier in October, an F-35 fighter jet belonging to the US Navy crashed at Hill Air Force Base in Utah.
The pilot ejected and was taken to a hospital for observation, as per an announcement by the 388th Fighter Wing.
It was stated that the cause of the $100 million fighter crash was unknown and that it would be investigated.
On January 24, a US Navy F35C Lightning II combat jet, which was conducting exercises in the South China Sea, crashed in an attempt to land on the US craft carrier's deck.
The British army faced similar problems too related to the war jets.
On November 17, 2021, an F35 fighter from the biggest British aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth, crashed into the Mediterranean Sea during a routine flight over the sea.
The Pentagon suspended back in August its deliveries of new F-35 fighter jets after learning that a magnet in the jet's engine was made in China using unauthorized material.
It's noteworthy that the United States Air Force in late July even went as far as grounding its F-35A jet fleet, citing a potentially faulty component in the ejection seat that could endanger pilots in emergency cases; a concern that has also grounded other types of military planes used for training.
