최근 9개월 사이 주한미공군의 F-16 3기가 추락

[위종민]

1월 31일 서해 해상 상공에서 주한 미공군의 F-16이 추락하면서 작년 5월 6일, 12월 11일에 이어 9개월 중 세 번째 추락사고가 발생했습니다. 지난 5월 사고도 현재 조사가 진행중이지만 결과는 아직 발표되지 않았지만 미공군은 일단 사건들 사이에 연관성은 없는 것으로 보인다고 발표했습니다. 

https://www.airandspaceforces.com/air-force-f-16-south-korea-not-related

A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft with the 8th Fighter Wing, Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, taxis on the runway, during the Fiscal Year 2023 Korea Flying Training at Gwangju AB, ROK, April 14, 2023. KFT 23 is a combined training event focused on tactical execution of combat missions and is part of the ROK-U.S. alliance's routine, annual training program. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Raymond Tong

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3 F-16 Crashes in 9 Months in Korea, But USAF Says Mishaps Are Unrelated

Feb. 1, 2024

Following the third crash of a U.S. Air Force F-16 in South Korea in nine months on Jan. 31, the head of the 7th Air Force released a statement saying the incidents do not appear to be related. 

Some USAF flight operations have resumed on the Korean Peninsula after a brief pause, Maj. Gen. David Iverson added. 

The latest crash occurred after the F-16 suffered an in-flight emergency over South Korea’s southwestern coast. The pilot ejected and was recovered safely within an hour of the crash and transported to a local medical facility for an assessment. The jet went down in the ocean. 

The two previous incidents occurred May 6 and Dec. 11 last year. No personnel have been injured in any of the crashes.

In December, an F-16 from Kunsan Air Base was flying over the Yellow Sea, which borders the west side of the Korean Peninsula, when it suffered an in-flight emergency. The pilot ejected safely. The investigation of that incident is in its “final stages,” Iverson said in his statement. 

Last May, a routine daytime training sortie went sour when something went wrong and the pilot ejected near Osan Air Base, about 80 miles north of Kunsan. The fighter made a fiery impact in a local field, which was captured by local cameras. Iverson said the incident has been investigated, but results have not been released. Air Force Accident Investigation Board reports are typically published. 

South Korean broadcaster SBS News obtained footage purportedly showing the moment a U.S. Air Force F-16 crashed near Osan Air Base. Screenshot

After the latest incident, the 7th Air Force paused flying operations to focus on search and recovery operations. Iverson said “some” flying ops began again Feb. 1, though he did not specify which. 

“I also want to acknowledge that this is the third F-16 crash on the peninsula in the last nine months. Thus far, including the preliminary findings from yesterday’s mishap, there are no indications these incidents are related,” he said. 

From 2010 to 2021—the latest year for which the Air Force Safety Center has published statistics—33 F-16s have been destroyed in mishaps, or 2.75 per year. Six fighters each were destroyed in 2013 and 2015. 

[백선호]

오키나와의 F-15C들은 너무 낡아서 철수/퇴역했는데 혹시 주한미공군의 F-16들도 너무 낡고 혹사당해서 그런 것일까요...?

[위종민]

아마도 그게 유력한 이유일 듯 한데요. 사실 주한미군이나 주일미군 F-16은 애저녁에 주방위군으로 돌리고 F-35가 배치돼 있어야 하는 것 같은데 말이죠.