Israel suspended flights of 11 F-35I Adir fighters after F-35B crash at US airbase

The Israeli Air Force has decided to temporarily suspend flights of the F-35I Adir fifth-generation fighters. The reason was the crash of the F-35B in the USA.

Here's What We Know

On December 15, an F-35B Lightning fighter jet crashed at Fort Worth Air Force Base in Texas. It crashed on the runway while making a vertical landing. The pilot was able to eject. The US Department of Defense announced on the same day that the plane had not yet been handed over to the military.

Israel suspends flights of 11 F-35I Adir fighters. A total of 36 aircraft are in service with the IDF, and 50 have been ordered with the possibility of increasing to 75. They include a model for flight tests. Israel has become the only country outside the U.S., which received such an aircraft.

Israeli specialists say that the fighters should be tested in order to rule out possible malfunctions. How long it may take is not yet specified.

Source: The Times of Israel