An F-16C fighter assigned to the 36th Fighter Squadron at Osan AB, South Korea, crashed Feb. 25 during a routine training mission, according to officials with Osan’s 51st Fighter Wing. The pilot, whose name was not initially released, ejected safely and was transported to the base hospital, they said. A board of officers will investigate the accident. Stars and Stripes reported Feb. 27 that the mishap occurred when the aircraft had nearly touched down for landing. It did not catch fire and remained structurally intact after the crash, according to the newspaper.
The U.S. supports “a stronger and more capable” European defense, Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III said during an Oct. 22 press conference in Brussels—but that defense should not duplicate the functions and capabilities of the NATO alliance.