The Taiwanese air force has resumed flying its Lockheed Martin F-16A/B block 20 fleet after grounding the aircraft for 52 days after two crashes.
The F-16A/B is Taiwan's most potent frontline fighter alongside the Dassault Mirage 2000-5 but was grounded despite the heightened threat of military action as a result of its latest political stand-off with China.
The aircraft returned to flight operations in early August, at about the same time that Taiwanese president Lee Teng-Hui admitted, despite earlier denials, that there had been incursions into Taiwanese airspace by Chinese air force Chengdu J-7 and Shenyang J-8 fighters.
According to the Ministry of National Defence, the F-16s were grounded after fatal crashes on 20 March and 2 June of two-seat F-16Bs. The ministry says it is unclear whether the crashes resulted from pilot error or mechanical failure.
Defence sources suggest there may be a connection with augmentor duct cracking in Pratt & Whitney F100-220 and -220E engines, which led to the temporary grounding of US and Israeli F-16s (Flight International, 21-26 April). Lockheed Martin personnel in Taipei were unavailable for comment.
Source: Flight International
