iscover
Warning: Attempt to read property "name" on false in /data/www/upgrade/australianaviation.com.au/httpdocs/wp-content/plugins/momentummedia-article-gate/includes/class-momentummedia-article-gate.php on line 169
Warning: Undefined array key "image-size-770" in /data/www/upgrade/australianaviation.com.au/httpdocs/wp-content/themes/australianaviation/functions.php on line 1310
Warning: Trying to access array offset on null in /data/www/upgrade/australianaviation.com.au/httpdocs/wp-content/themes/australianaviation/functions.php on line 1310
The US military has grounded its entire fleet of F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters, after a dual generator failure and oil leak on test aircraft AF-4 last Friday (March 11).
Reuters and DoD Buzz report that the F-35A was completing a flight test at Edwards Air Force base when the mishap occurred, with the aircraft almost experiencing a complete loss of control before its backup power system, known as the Integrated Power Package, kicked in.
This content is available exclusively to Australian Aviation members.
A monthly membership is only $5.99 or save with our annual plans.
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Unlimited access to all Australian Aviation digital content
- Access to the Australian Aviation app
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Access to our Behind the Lens photo galleries and other exclusive content
- Daily news updates via our email bulletin
- Unlimited access to all Australian Aviation digital content
- Access to the Australian Aviation app
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Access to our Behind the Lens photo galleries and other exclusive content
- Daily news updates via our email bulletin
“The jet returned safely to base. As a routine safety precaution, the Joint Program Office (JPO) has temporarily suspended F-35 flight operations until a team of JPO and LM technical experts determines the root cause of the generator failure and oil leak,” Lockheed Martin F-35 spokesman John Kent said.
“Once the cause is known, the appropriate repairs and improvements will be made before flight operations resume.”
USAF bound AF-4 was the fifth CTOL variant to ferry to Edwards for flight testing in late January. Lockheed Martin states that a total of two production jets and eleven preproduction F-35s have completed 683 test flights since December 2006.
