Jet Requires Maintenance

The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) has sent one of its F-16 fighter jets for maintenance following the discovery of a structural crack in the aircraft's right-side landing gear assembly.

The crack was located in the lower bulkhead of the main landing gear tension strut lug, according to a routine non-destructive inspection. The finding was later confirmed by Lockheed Martin, the aircraft's US manufacturer.

The maintenance of the F-16 will be carried out at the main maintenance unit at Wing 4 in Nakhon Sawan. This process will be conducted by RTAF personnel and Thai Aviation Industries Co Ltd, ensuring strict quality control and adherence to international standards.

The F-16, which was involved in an aerial target training mission prior to the discovery of the structural crack, was disassembled to facilitate transportation by C-130H aircraft. The disassembled F-16 was then delivered for maintenance in accordance with aviation standards.

A meeting was held to plan the relocation of the F-16 fighter jet from Squadron 106 at U-Tapao Air Base to the main maintenance unit at Wing 4 in Nakhon Sawan. Air Vice Marshal Prapas Sornjaidee, RTAF spokesman, confirmed the discovery of the structural crack on Monday.

It is worth noting that the maintenance of the F-16 involves both RTAF personnel and Thai Aviation Industries Co Ltd. However, I couldn't find specific information on the firm responsible for repairs on the F-16 fighter jets of the Thai Royal Air Force.

The detection of the structural crack did not occur during the aerial target training mission. The RTAF assures that the safety of their personnel and the public is always their top priority, and they stress that such incidents are rare due to their rigorous maintenance and inspection procedures.

The maintenance of the F-16 is a collaborative effort between the RTAF and Thai Aviation Industries Co Ltd, demonstrating the commitment to ensuring the fleet remains safe and operational. The RTAF continues to work diligently to ensure the readiness of their aircraft for various missions.