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© Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.U.S. F-16s cleared to fly again after crash off Hokkaido
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CrazyJoe
Most aircraft crashes are caused by pilot error, not the aircraft.
nath
Single engine aircraft over water... The navy did away with all single engine aircraft a long time ago... Because losing an engine, shouldn't mean losing a 40 million dollar aircraft, and possibly the crew. Very happy the pilot is ok though.
BertieWooster
40,000,000 dollars.
That's just for one of these things.
Just think how much good you could do with this amount of money.
Then look at the incredible volume of money that militaries all over the world waste on protecting them from those guys over there, who of course are doing exactly the same thing.
What a sheer waste!
Serrano
BertieWooster - Don't you value freedom?
BertieWooster
Freedom is one of the things you could buy with all this cash.
A huge military doesn't guarantee freedom, it just drives aggression underground, creating terrorism.
Of course, you might be being told differently.
papigiulio
6 hours alone in open water. scary stuff.
Jason Stiles
The Pilot is indeed well, and the investigation is still going on. I can say it wasn't Pilot Error though.
YuriOtani
No surprise to me, my best wishes to the pilot and my prayers for a speedy recovery.
nath
Lucky it didn't crash somewhere in Okinawa or that would be the end of F-16s in Japan.
Tiger_In_The_Hermitage
40 Million dollars for a plane.... @BertieWooster I think your right, a lot more good can be done for that price. Especially there are Indian American tribes in the States that live in horrific living conditions which we can't begin to imagine.
Simp
If a jet is so great that it can cost $40M, then it must be backed up with a full replacement warranty from who ever builds it. If not, then it's just a $40M piece of crp.
BertieWooster
Tiger,
THAT is the point I was trying to make.
Thank you!
plasticmonkey
@Bertie --I completely agree with your moral sentiment. What the world could do if people opened their eyes to the possibilities of a compassionate, harmonious, tolerant, creative, and ecologically healthy co-existence. And it's amazing that even though the vast majority of people in this world would share that dream, it hasn't come to pass. The sad fact is that we don't live in a world of 'could's or 'should's. The social machinery works for the benefit of vested interests, professional opportunists, and egomaniacal tyrants.
So I don't see the military industrial complex falling apart anytime soon. It's easy to talk about this in Europe and its antennae, but in the US it's too much a part of both the psychosocial and political network of America.
So of course the F-16s will fly. Sorry for the little off topic rant . . .
Badge213
Hey if people listen to John Lennon's Imagine then things will be all rosey dosey, too bad the real world will never be like that.
Also, the F-16 doesn't cost 40million. It comes in roughly less than half the cost at around 19-20million.
The F-16 has a solid track record and is a reliable fighter, they aren't falling out of the sky everyday, and have been in service for years.
Olegek
Good news ! really good news !
67 years passed after the Second world war is over ....
But nothing have changed ...
avigator
From the current World perspective, it is a necessary waste of money because by only being the toughest you can keep enemies at bay. Like the "shou ga nai" expression in Japanese. From a new World perspective, read in Isaiah 2:4: " And he will certainly render judgement among nations and set matters straight respecting many peoples. And they will have to beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning shears. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, neither will they learn war anymore. Isaiah is a book of the Bible written even before Jesus came to Earth. He who lives to times indefinite can set his will and plans even thousands of years before his implementation. Now debate whatever you want because I did not promote any ideology, but provided information from the one source I know.
ol_borgeaud
Plasticmonkey: you are 100% right. All the war crap is managed by a few countries, from regulation and weapon making. Look at the biggest weapon maker and the permanent UNO countries. Wow, very nice monopoly! All that is BS. And just money making!
maitai62
Badge213s got it right about the real world. The Viper/Fighting Falcon still is a reliable, formidable Generation 4 fighter that was designed as a relatively low cost (compared to the air superiority fighter, F-15 Eagle) multi-role fighter. Earlier Block 15-25 versions cost about 20 M. Later Block 35-50/52 considerably more. The most advanced Block 60 with upgraded avionics and weapons system with conformal fuel tanks was sold to the UAE Air Force for a lot more.
If you have any doubts about the Viper's capabilities, check out the Thunderbirds next time they come to town.