The U.S. Halts F-35 Fighter Jet Flights

The U.S. Department of Defense has temporarily halted all flights of F-35 fighter jets following the crash of the first F-35 on September 28 during a training flight in South Carolina, although the pilot was able to eject safely. Joe DellaVedova, a spokesperson for the F-35 program, reports that the U.S. and its allies, including the UK and Israel, have paused all flights due to inspections of fuel transfer tubes in the engines of these jets. He stated, "The reason for these inspections is our initial findings regarding the possible causes of the crash of one of the jets in late September." According to him, the suspicious tubes will be replaced, and those jets with functional fuel transfer tubes will return to operations. These inspections are expected to be completed within the next 24 to 48 hours. The UK announced that these inspections will not affect all of its F-35 jets, and currently, only some missions have been "temporarily halted." A spokesperson for the UK Ministry of Defense stated, "Safety is our top priority, and as a result, the UK has decided to delay some F-35 flights until the results of the investigations and inspections are clear." The crash of the F-35 in South Carolina occurred just one day after the jet's first combat operation, where U.S. forces attacked Taliban positions. Defense publication "Defense News" reported on Wednesday that U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has ordered the Air Force and Navy to prepare 80% of critical fighter jets, including the F-35, for operations within a year. This order comes as Defense Department officials have long complained about the unpreparedness of key weapons. The F-35 production program began in the early 1990s and is considered the most expensive weapon program in U.S. and world history. The cost of this project is approximately $400 billion, with plans to produce 2,500 of these jets over the coming years. Considering maintenance and repair costs, the total cost of this program, which will continue until the jets' lifespan ends in 2070, is expected to reach $1.5 trillion. Supporters of this program argue that the jet's capabilities, including its stealth, agility in flight, and strong sensors, provide pilots with extensive information. However, the program has faced serious issues, including production delays, rising costs, and a mysterious fire in one of the jet's engines in 2014, which led U.S. military commanders to temporarily halt its flights. To date, 245 F-35 jets have been delivered to the U.S. military, most of which are in service with the Air Force.