- TOKYO: Japan has grounded its F-15 fighters for safety inspections after a fuel tank and parts of a mock missile fell off a jet on a training mission.
It is the second time Japan’s F-15 fleet has been grounded in three months.
Japan Air Self-Defense Force officials said Saturday that the flight suspension involves all missions except emergency scrambles. They say the suspension will last until the safety of Japan’s 202 F-15 fighters has been confirmed.
No one was injured in Friday’s incident near Komatsu base in western Japan and the pilot landed safely.
The incident comes as Tokyo moves ahead to replace its aging fighters.
