An accident investigation board determined that a third stage fan disk malfunction caused a catastrophic fire aboard an F-16 before the fighter launched from Luke AFB, Ariz., on Oct. 26. The fan disk penetrated the fuel tank, which in turn ignited the fire causing the engine to explode. Lt. Col. Drexel Sherman, a 62nd Fighter Squadron instructor pilot, managed to stop the burning fighter and get out safely. However, the $22 million aircraft was a total loss. The 56th Fighter Wing lost at least two other F-16s last year to crashes, one in April, in which the aircraft also suffered an engine explosion, and one in December that is still under investigation.
Leaders of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees are tentatively scheduling a “Big Four” meeting for Oct. 26 to begin hashing out an agreement on the 2021 defense policy bill, House Armed Services Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) told reporters. The Big Four refers to the top Democrats…