The US Air Force will begin repairs of 82 grounded F-16D two-seaters today, following the development of cracks in the canopy sill between the front and rear seats.
While the F-16 Program Office was originally targeting a temporary repair until a more permanent solution could be devised alongside the plane’s manufacturer, Lockheed Martin, an Air Force Materiel Command spokesman told IHS Jane’s that this was a “permanent repair.”
“The repair process development will start this week,” said the USAF’s Susan Murphy. “The anticipated permanent repair will involve a strap over the affected area. The longerons will not be replaced unless needed for other reasons.”
The original issue affected 82 of the USAF’s 157 F-16Ds. The aging two-seater fighter is primarily used for training purposes nowadays, and represents a relative fraction of the Air Force’s remaining fleet of nearly 1,000 Fighting Falcons.