US Suspends F-35 Jet Operations Worldwide Due To Suspected Faulty Fuel Tubes - Pentagon

Umer Jamshaid Published October 11, 2018 | 08:05 PM

The United States has temporarily suspended all F-35 operations worldwide after the first-ever crash of the advanced fighter jet led investigators to suspect that a common problem exists with the jet's fuel tubes, the Pentagon's F-35 Lightning II Program said in a statement on Thursday.

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 11th October, 2018) The United States has temporarily suspended all F-35 operations worldwide after the first-ever crash of the advanced fighter jet led investigators to suspect that a common problem exists with the jet's fuel tubes, the Pentagon's F-35 Lightning II Program said in a statement on Thursday.

"The US services and international partners have temporarily suspended F-35 flight operations while the enterprise conducts a fleet-wide inspection of a fuel tube within the engine on all F-35 aircraft," the statement said.

The Defense Department said that any faulty fuel tubes installed in the F-35 jets will be removed and replaced, but if known good fuel tubes are already installed, then those aircraft will be returned to flight status.

"Inspections are expected to be completed within the next 24 to 48 hours," the statement said.