U.S. Air Force Develops Fix for Grounded F-16Ds

The U.S. Air Force expected to begin the repair process this week to return to flight the two-seat F-16Ds it grounded this summer after discovering cracks in canopy sill longerons between the front and rear pilots’ seats. The service inspected 157 of the fighters, which it uses for training, and grounded 83 to address cracking of the longitudinal brace.

The Air Force F-16 systems program office and engineers with Lockheed Martin analyzed the F-16 structure and developed the repair. When it announced the grounding in August, the service said 82 fighters exhibited cracking.

“The anticipated permanent repair will involve a strap over the affected area,” the Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, said in an emailed statement. “The longerons will not be replaced unless needed for other reasons (which at this point is not anticipated to apply to most jets). The scope of work will involve removal of cockpit equipment to facilitate repairs, installation of the repairs and reinstallation of the cockpit equipment.”

The AFMC said it will start the “repair process development” on or around September 11 at Hill AFB, Utah, site of the Ogden Air Logistics Complex. Once the process is completed, it expects to dispatch depot field teams the week of October 18 to validate the repair in the field. “Sustaining this aging platform is a core competency of (F-16) team Viper and we remain confident that we will soon overcome this current challenge,” the statement said.