An Air Force Thunderbirds F-16 jet crashed outside Colorado Springs, Colo., after performing at the Air Force Academy graduation Thursday afternoon. The pilot ejected and was unhurt, but will be evaluated by medical personnel, Air Combat Command spokeswoman Melissa Walther told Air Force Magazine. The aircraft landed in a field, she said. The extent of the damage to the aircraft was unknown as of Thursday afternoon, but Walther said there was no fire. A 21st Space Wing spokesperson told Air Force Magazine on Thursday evening the cause of the crash is still unknown, but investigators were at the site. The pilot, Maj. Alex Turner, is in his first season with the team, according to the Thunderbirds’ website. He has logged over 1,200 flying hours with the service, including 270 combat hours over Libya and Iraq, according to the profile. President Barack Obama spoke at the graduation and was still there when the aircraft crashed about 15 miles south, the AP reported. Obama met with Turner at Peterson AFB, Colo., before boarding Air Force One, according to a White House press pool report. Turner appeared healthy, saluted Obama, and then shook his hand when they met.
Anduril and General Atomics will develop their Collaborative Combat Aircraft for the Air Force, beating out Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman, the service announced on April 24. But any of the non-selected companies can compete to actually manufacture the eventual design, the Air Force said.