Japan’s ASDF resumes flights of F-35A stealth fighter after fatal crash

Source: Xinhua| 2019-08-01 17:42:25|Editor: Xiaoxia
Video PlayerClose

TOKYO, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Flights of Japan’s grounded fleet of Air Self-Defense Force F-35A stealth fighter jets resumed on Thursday for the first time since a fatal crash of one of the jets in April, Japan’s Defense Ministry said.

Japan’s Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya, after approval had been gained from government officials in northeastern Japan, where the remaining 12 of the next-generation fighters are based, said that comprehensive measures towards ensuring the jets’ safety had been taken.

"We've taken thorough measures for safety management," Takeshi Iwaya told a press briefing on the matter, as well as stating flights of the stealth fighters would resume from 2:00 p.m. local time Thursday.

The Defense Ministry has conducted inspections on the planes and, it said, has ensured that the jets’ pilots have undergone further training.

The Defense Ministry came to the conclusion in June that the fatal crash of an F-35A into the Pacific Ocean off Aomori Prefecture, was likely caused by the pilot being disoriented, rather than a technical problem.

Iwaya said Thursday that the ministry will scrap night drills for F-35As until further notice and exercises in the daytime will be focused on just rudimentary flying skills.

The jets, one of the Pentagon’s most sophisticated fifth-generation, multi-role stealth fighter and most expensive weapons system, with a price tag of between around 90 and 116 million U.S. dollars, are supposed to replace Japan’s fleet of F-15 and aging F-4 fighter planes.

The state-of-the-art jets are co-developed by nine countries including the United States, Britain and Italy and are produced by U.S. defense company Lockheed Martin Corp. and cost around 50,000 U.S. dollars per hour to fly.

Iwaya confirmed that Japan’s continues to plan to purchase more F-35As from the United States and deploy a total of 105 of the multi-role, front-line fighters here.

TOP STORIES
EDITOR’S CHOICE
MOST VIEWED
EXPLORE XINHUANET
010020070750000000000000011100001382757341