US Air Force Upgrades F-35A Gas Tanks to Protect Against Lightning Strikes Written 4 February 2022
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An F-35A Lightning II aircraft assigned to the 58th Fighter Squadron, 33rd Fighter Wing | U.S. Air Force photo by MSgt John Nimmo Sr.; Wikipedia; Public Domain
Air Force Times reports that the F-35A “could start flying near thunderstorms again soon, once the Air Force finishes upgrading its first jet for extra protection against lightning strikes.” The F-35A was banned “from flying within 25 nautical miles of lightning or thunderstorms after finding that a crucial system may not function correctly if hit by a bolt.” A team making repairs to the F-35A found damage to the Onboard Inert Gas Generation System (OBIGGS), “which injects nitrogen-enriched air into the jet’s fuel tanks.” Faulty inert gas tubes “showed up in more than half of the 24 airframes that were inspected.” Lockheed Martin “has installed an improved version of OBIGGS onto all F-35As delivered since November.”
Full Story (Air Force Times)