BREAKING: Fire Breaks Out on F-35 at Eglin Air Force Base, Pilot Safe
23 Jun 2014 Dave Majumdar and Sam LaGrone
"This is a breaking news event. This post will be updated with additional information as it becomes available.
A Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter was severely damaged — possibly destroyed — in a Monday morning fire on the runway at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., USNI News learned.
No injuries were reported and officials have begun an investigation into the incident, defense officials told USNI News on Monday.
“The aircraft was preparing to conduct a continuation training mission at the time of the incident, but aborted during takeoff at Eglin Air Force Base due to a fire in the back end of the aircraft,” according to a Monday statement provided to USNI News from the Air Force.
“Emergency responders extinguished the fire with foam.”
The aircraft was a F-35A — the Air Force variant of the fighter — assigned to the 33rd “Nomads.”...
...This is the first incident this severe for the JSF during the life of the tri-service program...."
http://news.usni.org/2014/06/23/breaking-f...base-pilot-safe