Posted on 12/01/2014 6:10:13 PM PST by Jet Jaguar
Yes they converted their first F-16 to fly remote just a few months ago. They showed it taking off and landing on the local TV news.
The pilot who was killed was flying with another F-16, I have no idea what they were doing.
Tyndall is also home to 3 squadrons of F-22s, probably the most at any one place in the world.
Kinda ironic the F-18 was originally developed as the F-17, which lost in a design contest with the F-16 prototypes. The F-17 was re-engineered for naval use and carrier landings and renamed F-18
The plan was recovered.
Triple redundant flight control computer failure - F16 won’t fly.
But then, It’s triple redundant for that reason.
WASHINGTON — A U.S. Air Force pilot taking part in Operation Inherent Resolve was killed when his F-16 Fighting Falcon crashed due to maintenance problems, according to the Pentagon.
The crash occurred late Sunday Washington time.
On Tuesday, the Defense Department identified the pilot as Capt. William Dubois, 30, of New Castle, Colo. He was assigned to the 77th Fighter Squadron, based out of Shaw Air Force Base, S.C.
The Defense Department is calling it a “noncombat-related incident”, but acknowledged the aircraft was on its way to Iraq or Syria to participate in ongoing operations against the Islamic State when things went wrong.
“The aircraft was returning to its base in the Middle East” when the crash occurred, Pentagon spokesman Col. Steve Warren said. “Apparently there were some maintenance problems on takeoff. It turned around and unfortunately was not able to land.”
No one was injured beside the pilot, according to Warren.
First responders remain on the scene and the cause of the crash is under investigation, he said.
It was unclear Monday why the pilot was unable to eject before the aircraft crashed, Warren said.
The name of the pilot will not be released until 24 hours after next of kin have been notified.
The crash did not occur in Iraq or Syria, Warren noted. He declined to identify which country the pilot and aircraft were stationed in due to host nation sensitivities.
The pilot’s death constitutes the third U.S. military fatality from Operation Inherent Resolve. On Oct. 23, Marine Lance Cpl. Sean Neal, 19, of Riverside, Calif., died in Iraq from a noncombat related injury. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Central Command, whose headquarters element deploys from Camp Pendleton, Calif.
On Oct. 1, Marine Cpl. Jordan Spears, 21, of Memphis, Ind., was lost at sea while conducting flight operations in the North Arabian Gulf. He was assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron-163, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif.
See 45
http://www.defense.gov/Releases/Release ... seID=17059
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Release No: NR-599-14
December 02, 2014
DoD Identifies Air Force Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of an Airman who was supporting Operation Inherent Resolve.
Capt. William H. Dubois, 30, of New Castle, Colorado, died Dec. 1 when his F-16 aircraft crashed near a coalition air base in the Middle East. He was assigned to the 77th Fighter Squadron, Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina.
For more information media may contact the 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Office at 803-895-2019.
Thanks
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