SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) – The Air Force said Friday it has decided to retire an F-35A stealth jet as it was seriously damaged by a bird strike in January 2022.
The Air Force said a comprehensive analysis with its U.S. manufacturer, Lockheed Martin, showed that the F-35A suffered damage in about 300 components, including the airframe, structure, engine and control and navigation system.
Considering the high costs and long period needed for repairs and other security concerns, the Air Force’s review committee concluded that it is better to retire the aircraft than to fix it. The plan will be finalized with the defense ministry’s approval.
The repair cost of the aircraft, one of 40 F-35As in the Air Force, was estimated at approximately 140 billion won (US$107.6 million), higher than its unit acquisition cost estimated at 110 billion won, according to military officials.
The Air Force said it will consider various ways to make use of the retired aircraft, including its potential use in mechanics’ training.