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A Japanese F-35A has gone missing. The variant is the same as this Royal Australian Air Force stealth fighter. (Mike Yeo/Staff)
MELBOURNE, Australia — A Japan Air Self-Defense Force F-35A
fighter jet went missing off the coast of northern Japan on Tuesday, with a
search mission now underway.
Local media reported that contact with the Lockheed
Martin-made stealth fighter was lost just before 7:30 p.m. local time, with the
aircraft’s last reported location identified over the Pacific Ocean about miles
85 miles east of Misawa city in Aomori prefecture, in the northern part of
Japan’s main island of Honshu.
Japan’s national public broadcaster, NHK, quoting Japan Air
Self-Defense Force officials, reported that the missing F-35A was one of four
JASDF F-35As that had taken off from nearby Misawa Air Base for a training mission
at 7:00 p.m. local time.
The officials added that Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
aircraft and vessels have begun a search mission. Japan’s Coast Guard said it
is sending two vessels to join in the search. Other JASDF aircraft, most likely
search-and-rescue U-125A jets and UH-60J Black Hawk helicopters that are
deployed throughout Japanese air bases, have also reportedly joined the search
efforts.
Speaking to reporters, Japanese Defense Minister Takeshi
Iwaya said the JASDF will ground the 12 remaining F-35As for the time being.
U.S. Defense Department spokesman Lt. Col. Dave Eastburn
told Defense News that the agency “is aware and monitoring the situation in
Japan.”
Japan had only stood up its first F-35A squadron at the end
of last month, with the 302nd Hikotai established in Misawa with 13 F-35As
following its transfer from Hyakuri, north of Japan’s capital Tokyo, where it
had been operating the Mitsubishi F-4EJ Phantom II.
defensenews.com
