The pilot of an F-16 from the 35th Fighter Wing at Misawa AB, Japan, declared an in-flight emergency and was forced to divert to the nearby Aomori civilian regional airport due to an engine oil leak, reported Stars and Stripes. The pilot followed standard emergency procedures during the April 15 incident and safely landed the fighter after jettisoning its external fuel tanks over the Sea of Japan, according to the report. A second F-16 flying as the other’s wingman also landed at Aomori, states the report. Air Force officials are currently investigating the incident. Less than two weeks ago, an F-16 from Kunsan AB, South Korea, made an emergency landing at a civil airport in South Korea after a serious engine failure.
As Air Force leaders consider concepts of operations for Collaborative Combat Aircraft, sustainment in the field—and easing that support by using standard parts and limiting variants—should be a key consideration, according to a new study from AFA's Mitchell Institute of Aerospace Studies.