Pentagon grounds F-35 fighter fleet after finding crack in 1 engine blade

[indian_foxhound]

FILE -This undated photo provided by Northrop
Grumman Corp., shows a pre-production model
of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The Pentagon on
Friday grounded its fleet of F-35 fighter jets after
discovering a cracked engine blade in one plane.
The problem was discovered during what the Pentagon called a routine inspection at Edwards
Air Force Base, California, of an F-35A, the Air
Force version of the sleek new plane. The Navy
and the Marine Corps are buying other versions
of the F-35, which is intended to replace older
fighters like the Air Force F-16 and the Navy F/ A-18. All versions , a total of 51 planes , were
grounded Friday, Feb. 22, 2013 pending a more
in-depth evaluation of the problem discovered at
Edwards. None of the planes have been fielded
for combat operations; all are undergoing
testing.AP Photo/Northrop Grumman, File) no sales WASHINGTON - The Pentagon on Friday grounded
its fleet of F-35 fighter jets after discovering a
cracked engine blade in one plane. The problem was discovered during what the
Pentagon called a routine inspection at Edwards
Air Force Base, Calif., of an F-35A, the Air Force
version of the sleek new plane. The Navy and the
Marine Corps are buying other versions of the
F-35, which is intended to replace older fighters like the Air Force F-16 and the Navy F/A-18. All versions — a total of 51 planes — were
grounded Friday pending a more in-depth
evaluation of the problem discovered at Edwards.
None of the planes have been fielded for combat
operations; all are undergoing testing. In a brief written statement, the Pentagon said it
is too early to know the full impact of the newly
discovered problem. The F-35 is the Pentagon's most expensive
weapons program at a total estimated cost of
nearly $400 billion. The Pentagon envisions
buying more than 2,400 F-35s, but some
members of Congress are balking at the price tag. Friday's suspension of flight operations will
remain in effect until an investigation of the
problem's root cause is determined. The Pentagon said the engine in which the
problem was discovered is being shipped to a
Pratt & Whitney facility in Connecticut for more
thorough evaluation.

http://www.theprovince.com/mobile/story.html?id=8004083

 

[Pandora]

Well Indians and Pakistanis wont leave their fighter plane until the plane is split in half and they grounded their whole fleet.

 

[GR!FF!N]

Well Indians and Pakistanis wont leave their fighter plane until the plane is split in half and they grounded their whole fleet.

???????????????????

 

[MehrotraPrince]