UK's MoD Reviewing Status of F-35s Following Japan Crash

Sputnik News

14:28 10.04.2019(updated 14:51 10.04.2019)

The UK Ministry of Defence is collaborating with US authorities as they look to review the status of 17 F-35B fighter jets - the probe was initiated after a Japanese F-35 jet crashed on Tuesday in the Pacific Ocean, according to a ministry spokesperson.

"Safety is of the utmost importance and very closely managed on the F-35 programme. We will continue to review the situation as further information becomes available," the UK Ministry of Defence spokesperson noted.

The British Ministry of Defence has shown its concern as it has plans to purchase a total of 138 F-35 fighter jets developed by Lockheed Martin, according to Reuters. In November last year, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson announced that the UK was doubling its fleet of F-35 fighters by ordering 17 more jets.

The UK Ministry of Defence spokesperson's remark comes after Japanese Defence Minister Takeshi Iwaya confirmed earlier on Wednesday that one of their F-35A stealth fighter jets had crashed in the Pacific Ocean.

On Tuesday, an F-35A fighter jet disappeared from radars 135 kilometres (84 miles) east of the Misawa Air Base, located in the country's northern Aomori prefecture. The incident took place during a training flight involving four F-35A fighters. The pilot who was on board the aircraft is still missing, according to an Air Self-Defence Force (ASDF) spokesman cited earlier by Reuters.

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