Singapore Air Force F-16 jet crashes after takeoff
An F-16 jet belonging to the Singapore Air Force crashed during takeoff at a military airbase on Wednesday, the ministry of defence in Singapore said in a statement.
The defence ministry said that the plane had experienced ‘an issue’ during take-off at about 12.35 pm. “The pilot successfully ejected and the plane crashed thereafter within Tengah Air Base… The pilot is conscious and able to walk. He is receiving medical attention. No other personnel are hurt,” the ministry said.
It also added that investigations are ongoing in connection with the incident and that it will provide updates on the incident as soon as they become available. According to Channel News Asia report, Singapore has operated the F-16 for more than 30 years. Such incidents are rare in the city-state, which has the most advanced air force in Southeast Asia.
In 2010, a military helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing in an open field close to a residential area because of engine problems.
Meanwhile, during a night training mission in May 2004, an RSAF F-16C aircraft crashed in the US state of Arizona, resulting in the tragic loss of the 25-year-old Singaporean pilot who was initially reported missing. A board of inquiry determined that the incident stemmed from human factors, suggesting that the pilot may have encountered gravity-induced loss of consciousness or spatial disorientation, leading to his inability to regain control of the aircraft from an inverted position.
Singapore’s F-16 fleet reportedly underwent recent upgrades aimed at enhancing its capabilities and ensuring operational readiness until the mid-2030s. Among the enhancements are the integration of Active Electronically Scanned Array Radar, enabling the F-16 to track and engage multiple targets at greater distances. Additionally, there’s the incorporation of all-weather, ground-attack capability, facilitating precision strikes with more advanced munitions.
In February, Singapore announced its intention to purchase eight F-35A jets, complementing a previous order of 12 F-35 jets of the “B” variant, reportedly slated to replace the F-16 fleet.