Israel grounds F-35 warplanes after U.S. crash
The Israeli military says it has grounded its fleet of F-35 warplanes after a similar aircraft crashed in the U.S.
The Israeli military said the U.S. has shared the findings of its investigation into the F-35 crash two weeks ago. But Israel’s air force chief, Maj. Gen. Amikam Norkin, wants to conduct additional tests on Israel’s F-35s.
The Israeli warplanes, purchased from the U.S., are a different model than the American one that crashed.
Israel said Thursday the testing will take several days, but the planes remain ready for operational action if needed.
Israel is among a small number of countries using or developing the next-generation warplane. AP
Russia conducts massive exercise of its nuclear forces
The Russian military says it has conducted a massive test of the nation’s strategic nuclear forces involving multiple missile launches.
The Russian Defense Ministry said the Oct. 11 maneuvers featured launches of ballistic missiles by the navy’s nuclear submarines from the Barents Sea and the Sea of Okhotsk. As part of the drills, long-range bombers also fired cruise missiles, the ministry said, adding that all missiles hit their designated practice targets.
It added that Russia’s early warning system successfully spotted and tracked all launches.
The Defense Ministry noted that the exercise offered a chance to test the chain of command from its main control room down to military units.
The drills are the latest in a series of Russian war games conducted amid spiraling tensions with the West. AP