PICCIE: Japanese F-15 lost droptank and dummy missile...

[Stratofreighter]

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/ ... 008a4.html has more...

[Stratofreighter]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-15226437

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asi ... story.html

8 October 2011 Last updated at 07:47 GMT

Japan grounds jet fighter fleet

Japan has grounded more than 200 F-15 jet fighters after a fuel tank fell off one of the war planes during a training mission.

Flames were seen under the wing and fallen parts were scattered at sites near the western city of Komatsu.

No-one was injured in the incident and the plane landed safely.

It is the second time in three months that officials have suspended F-15 flights.

The 155-kg (340lb) tank, which was empty, and parts of a dummy missile came free and fell from the plane as it was nearing a field for landing.

The debris fell on 10 locations, including a sewage plant, officials said.

"We take this accident very seriously," Gen. Shigeru Iwasaki, the head of Japan's air forces, said at a news conference on Friday. He said the cause was under investigation.

In July, the fleet was grounded after a plane crashed into the East China Sea. The pilot, though presumed dead, is still listed as missing and no cause of the accident has been declared.

Japan Air Self-Defence Force officials said that all missions except emergency scrambles were suspended and will last until the safety of Japan's 202 F-15 fighters has been confirmed.

The latest incident comes as Tokyo is seeking to replace its aging fighter jets.

It is considering both US-designed aircraft and the Eurofighter Typhoon in a deal expected by the end of the year and worth more than $8bn.

[Flasheart]

Does anyone have any news when the JASDF F-15s will be airborne again. I have a trip booked to Nyutabaru in a couple of weeks.
Thanks.

[Stratofreighter]

Does anyone have any news when the JASDF F-15s will be airborne again. I have a trip booked to Nyutabaru in a couple of weeks.
Thanks.

According to http://twitter.com/#!/4Aviation/status/ ... 7389353984 and http://twitpic.com/75larx (yes, the Twitter-account of the main sponsor of his messageboard! ) an F-15 returned from a QRA to Naha/Okinawa on the 25th of October, during the ongoing tour http://www.4aviation.nl/programma2011/k ... inawa.html .
Whether only absolutely necessary QRAs are now flown or the whole ban got lifted again (i.e. flying operations as normal) I do not know.

I suggest you open a separate thread with your question clearly stated in the subject.