The Japanese Ministry of Defense has released the news that ships and aircraft of its armed forces have been mobilized for the search and recovery of the missing pilot following the crash on Wednesday night (GMT + 9 time zone) of an F / A-18 belonging to the USMC.
The jet of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing stationed in Okinawa, he was conducting a regularly scheduled training mission at about 120 miles southeast of Iwakuni when for unknown reasons the pilot had to eject from the aircraft.
According to what was spread by the Marine Corps the causes of the accident were immediately subjected to an investigation. The identity of the pilot in command of the aircraft has not yet been revealed.
It is definitely not a good year for the multi-role fighter produced by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) - which has a unit price of approximately 60mln $ - this being the fifth Hornet lost in a year (v.articolo).
According to a statement released to the Senate by Lieutenant General Jon Davis, deputy commander of Marine aviation: "Only 87 Hunting Hornets on 276 owned by the USMC are actually able to fly: this is equal to the 32% of the fleet. The rest is under maintenance or awaiting updating."
(photo: USMC)
