"Possible explosion near a thunderstorm": defect found on Dutch F-35 fighters
15
A series of technical problems continues to haunt the American F-35 Lightning II fighter, which is positioned by the United States as the undisputed leader among the same type of aircraft.
This time, on the F-35A machines belonging to the Netherlands Air Force, damage to the pipes that make up the onboard inert gas generation system (OBIGGS) in the fuel tank was found. This was announced by the kingdom's military in a press release on September 18.
Previously, a similar problem was found on four (non-Dutch) aircraft. As a result, all countries operating the F-35A were advised to avoid flying near thunderstorms and to protect aircraft on the ground with shelters or lightning rods. This information is contained in the 21st Annual Progress Report on the VF-35 program, published last week.
The OBIGGS system is designed to minimize the risk of explosion of fuel vapors, such as in the event of a lightning strike. Damage to the pipes in it can leave fuel tanks vulnerable. After the discovery of the defect on the first aircraft, checks began on other machines, including the Dutch F-35A.
The Netherlands currently has 12 F-35 fighters, 4 of which are stationed at Leeuwarden AFB, the remaining 8 are in the United States for pilot training.
Our news channels
Subscribe and stay up to date with the latest news and the most important events of the day.
Dear reader, to leave comments on the publication, you must sign in.
"Right Sector" (banned in Russia), "Ukrainian Insurgent Army" (UPA) (banned in Russia), ISIS (banned in Russia), "Jabhat Fatah al-Sham" formerly "Jabhat al-Nusra" (banned in Russia) , Taliban (banned in Russia), Al-Qaeda (banned in Russia), Anti-Corruption Foundation (banned in Russia), Navalny Headquarters (banned in Russia), Facebook (banned in Russia), Instagram (banned in Russia), Meta (banned in Russia), Misanthropic Division (banned in Russia), Azov (banned in Russia), Muslim Brotherhood (banned in Russia), Aum Shinrikyo (banned in Russia), AUE (banned in Russia), UNA-UNSO (banned in Russia), Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People (banned in Russia), Legion “Freedom of Russia” (armed formation, recognized as terrorist in the Russian Federation and banned)
“Non-profit organizations, unregistered public associations or individuals performing the functions of a foreign agent,” as well as media outlets performing the functions of a foreign agent: “Medusa”; "Voice of America"; "Realities"; "Present time"; "Radio Freedom"; Ponomarev; Savitskaya; Markelov; Kamalyagin; Apakhonchich; Makarevich; Dud; Gordon; Zhdanov; Medvedev; Fedorov; "Owl"; "Alliance of Doctors"; "RKK" "Levada Center"; "Memorial"; "Voice"; "Person and law"; "Rain"; "Mediazone"; "Deutsche Welle"; QMS "Caucasian Knot"; "Insider"; "New Newspaper"
Information