The Israeli air force has returned its Lockheed Martin F-16C/D ("Barak") combat aircraft to full operational status, after completing work to repaint their engine air intakes.
In July, the service grounded part of its fleet after technicians discovered that paint on the inner side of the intake was peeling off. The issue caused severe malfunctions in two aircraft, which had to land immediately.
After the grounding, technical crews removed the old paint and repaired the inner part of the intake with a new paint. An assessment determined that unusually high temperatures encountered in Israel earlier this year were the cause of the problem.
Repair work was completed in late September, before the decision was taken to return the F-16C/Ds to normal training and operational status.
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Israeli air force |
Source: Flight International
