Japan also grounds F-15s

Japan has joined the U.S. Air Force in grounding its F-15 fleet in the wake of a Missouri Air National Guard fighter crash Friday, according to this report from Bloomberg.

All 200 of the fighter-bombers in the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force will be “rested” indefinitely, a spokeswoman said, while investigations continue into the cause of the crash. The move follows  a similar decision by the U.S. Air Force, which will ground its almost 700 F-15s, except for essential missions in combat zones.

Japan first took delivery of F-15s in 1980, which would make its oldest planes the same age as the one which crashed Friday. While the Air Force is still investigating the crash, officials cited “possible structural failure,” which could be a result of age and use.  

South Korea, which will receive 30 of the St. Louis-built planes this year, talked with Boeing after the crash and will make no changes to its plan, Bloomberg reported. The company is also building 24 for the Singapore Air Force, but calls to that country’s defense ministry were not returned.