A Japan Air Self-Defense Force F-15 fighter jet made an emergency landing on July 14 after experiencing a hydraulic system malfunction during a training mission, while a U.S. Marine Corps F/A-18 fighter also made an emergency landing in Okinawa the same day, according to Japanese media reports.
The F-15 took off from Komatsu Air Base in Ishikawa Prefecture at approximately 10:20 am local time on July 14 for a training mission. Around ten minutes into the flight, the pilot reported a possible malfunction. The jet returned to base and made an emergency landing at about 11:20 am, deploying its tailhook to catch the runway arrestor cable as a precaution against brake failure.
Base authorities confirmed that the aircraft's hydraulic system had failed. The pilot was uninjured.
Because the base shares its runway with Komatsu Airport, the incident caused delays to some commercial flights.
According to reports, including this latest incident, Komatsu Air Base has recorded eight F-15 emergency landings since 2017. In January 2022, an F-15 crashed into the sea shortly after taking off from the same base, resulting in the deaths of both crew members.
Meanwhile, the Okinawa Times reported on July 15 that a U.S. Marine Corps F/A-18 fighter jet also made an emergency landing in Okinawa on the afternoon of July 14. The aircraft, which was based at Iwakuni in Yamaguchi Prefecture, had flown to Okinawa's Marine Corps Air Station Futenma the previous day along with three other F/A-18s. After taking off from Futenma on July 14, the jet made an emergency landing at nearby Kadena Air Base, also using arrestor cables. The report did not specify the cause of the emergency.
Related News:
US stocks rally as cooling CPI defuses rate fears
Trump threatens strikes on Iran's power plants, bridges next week without a deal
Comment