SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) — The Air Force mentioned Friday it has determined to retire an F-35A stealth jet because it was severely broken by a chook strike in January 2022.
The Air Force mentioned a complete evaluation with its U.S. producer, Lockheed Martin, confirmed that the F-35A suffered injury in about 300 elements, together with the airframe, construction, engine and management and navigation system.
Considering the excessive prices and lengthy interval wanted for repairs and different safety issues, the Air Force’s evaluate committee concluded that it’s higher to retire the plane than to repair it. The plan shall be finalized with the protection ministry’s approval.
The restore cost of the plane, considered one of 40 F-35As within the Air Force, was estimated at roughly 140 billion received (US$107.6 million), larger than its unit acquisition cost estimated at 110 billion received, in accordance with navy officers.
The Air Force mentioned it can take into account numerous methods to utilize the retired plane, together with its potential use in mechanics’ coaching.
[email protected]
(END)