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.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth visited the site of U.S. Space Command’s future home Dec. 12 and endorsed the move to establish the headquarters in Alabama after years of political back and forth.
