Belgian Air Force F-16 destroyed by fire

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On 11 October around 14:10 (UTC +2), a Belgian Air Force F16 caught fire during maintenance works at Florennes Air Base. The fire completely destroyed that aircraft. The Belgian Air Force said a second F-16 received collateral damage.

On 12 October, Aviation24.be received more information on the incident: a technician was working on an F-16 when he accidentally activated the six-barrels 20mm Vulcan M61A-1 cannon of that F-16. The cannon was loaded and some bullets hit another F-16AM (FA-128). That aircraft had just been refuelled and was – together with another F-16 – being prepared for a (training) mission. Due to the bullets, the F-16AM exploded and damaged the other F-16.

Two technicians were injured after the blast, the Belgian Aviation Safety Directorate opened an investigation into the accident. The Belgian Air Force had 60 active F-16 aircraft remaining, including 48 on duty for NATO.
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https://www.aviation24.be/military-...stroyed-maintenance-collateral-damage-second/
 
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Better not lose too many more, otherwise you will have to start looking at buying F-35 package from Lockheed-Martin
 
Woooops. 'Accidentally activated' the gun, though? Is it one of those things where you can bump it with your ass while you're fishing small change from the back of the seat cushions, or did the technician sit in the cockpit and play fighter pilot, not expecting the gun to actually work?

Whichever it was, someone's in for a bit of disciplinary action come Monday morning.
 
This has happened before, with other planes, not entirely a surprise that it would happen again. The big case I remember is when it happened on an air craft carrier and a couple people died (plus a huge fire broke out, etc.)
 
Lou Wrong said:
This has happened before, with other planes, not entirely a surprise that it would happen again. The big case I remember is when it happened on an air craft carrier and a couple people died (plus a huge fire broke out, etc.)
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Are you talking about the USS Forrestal fire? That was caused by an "electrical anomaly" (vs. this "Accidental activation") that caused a rocket to fire and (may have?) hit John McCain's A-4. 134 people died in that fire.
 
stupidpieceofshit said:
Are you talking about the USS Forrestal fire? That was caused by an "electrical anomaly" (vs. this "Accidental activation") that caused a rocket to fire and (may have?) hit John McCain's A-4. 134 people died in that fire.
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Sure am, I remember the fire being really bad but didn't know that so many died or that McCain was present.
 
UselessRubberKeyboard said:
Woooops. 'Accidentally activated' the gun, though? Is it one of those things where you can bump it with your ass while you're fishing small change from the back of the seat cushions, or did the technician sit in the cockpit and play fighter pilot, not expecting the gun to actually work?

Whichever it was, someone's in for a bit of disciplinary action come Monday morning.
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Tfw I might have done both or more of those things
 
Belgium longs for the days when all they had to do militarily was have JCVD flex his bicep and point at someone and they'd think twice about attacking.
 
This picture has a feeling of sadness in it, at least I feel it that way.

F-16-Florennes-3.jpg
 
Didn't Steven Speilberg make this movie already?


(Appologies I cant seem to find a clip of the scene at the airbase that explains everything)
 
millais said:
Better not lose too many more, otherwise you will have to start looking at buying F-35 package from Lockheed-Martin
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King n Yellow said:
I wouldn't wish the F-35 on anyone.
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The F-16 is an ancient aircraft and the Belgian airforce is already in the process of looking for replacements, provided the cost of extending their lifespan/usefulness isn't significantly lower.

And like most airforces belonging to nations that weren't part of the F-35 consortium and aren't tied to European ego projects like the Rafale or Eurofighter, there's clear signs they heavily favor the F-35.
 
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UselessRubberKeyboard said:
Woooops. 'Accidentally activated' the gun, though? Is it one of those things where you can bump it with your ass while you're fishing small change from the back of the seat cushions, or did the technician sit in the cockpit and play fighter pilot, not expecting the gun to actually work?

Whichever it was, someone's in for a bit of disciplinary action come Monday morning.
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The M61 is electrically primed. I see two options- whoever was working on it then massively fucked up, or whoever was supposed to download the rounds after the last flight fucked up. The fact that it fired the bullets tells me that it was feeding rounds and getting current, so the tech in the cockpit had his finger on the trigger, unless there was a live round parked in the chamber and stray voltage happened.
 
Hoqw will Belgium defend itself now that it's entire airfoce has been destroyed?
 
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