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发帖数: 22479 | 1 美空军宣布，初步检查表明受飓风袭击的F22战机全部完整无损，待详细测试检查后即
可重归蓝天
US Air Force optimistic on hurricane-hit fighter jets
AFPOctober 15, 2018, 12:10 AM EDT
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Washington (AFP) - The United States Air Force said Sunday that a group of F
-22 stealth fighters left behind at a base to ride out Hurricane Michael
were intact but it was too soon to say whether all of them would fly again.
Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida was hit by the Category 4 storm on October
10 and suffered extensive damage, with some hangars partially stripped of
their roofs, according to official footage of the coastal facility.
Numerous reports had speculated on the fate of an unspecified number of the
ultra-advanced fifth-generation fighter jets that could not be flown out to
safe havens due to maintenance or safety reasons.
The unit cost of the aircraft is around $150 million, which soars to over $
330 million when research and development are priced in.
"As we drove through the base and assessed the damage, it was clear that the
hurricane's toll was severe in places, especially around the Tyndall
flightline," said a statement attributed to Secretary of the Air Force
Heather Wilson and other senior officials.
"We also looked into each of the hangars that housed aircraft which
weathered the storm for maintenance or safety reasons," it added.
"Visually, they were all intact and looked much better than expected
considering the surrounding damage to some structures.
"Our maintenance professionals will do a detailed assessment of the F-22
Raptors and other aircraft before we can say with certainty that damaged
aircraft can be repaired and sent back into the skies.
"However, damage was less than we feared and preliminary indications are
promising."
Hurricane Michael made landfall not far from the base on Wednesday, and went
on to claim at least 17 lives across four states, with Florida the worst
hit. |
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