WNAM MONITORING: The South Korean air force has grounded nearly all of its aircraft after a jet accidentally released two gun pods and empty fuel tanks last week, a move that can affect an ongoing US-South Korea joint drill, local media reported on Sunday.
A KA-1 light attack aircraft taking part in nighttime drills over Pyeongchang, about 125 kilometers (77 miles) east of Seoul, jettisoned the parts in a mountainous area on Friday, Yonhap News reported.
No casualties or infrastructure damage were reported.
Following the latest accident, the air force decided to impose flight restrictions on all of its aircraft, except for those that conduct reconnaissance operations or are on emergency standby, until Tuesday morning.
This came took weeks after two KF-16 fighter jets mistakenly dropped eight MK-82 bombs outside a training range in Pocheon, near Seoul, during live-fire drills on March 6, injuring 52 people, including 38 civilians.
The latest development is expected to affect the ongoing Freedom Flag air exercise, a large-scale combined exercise between the US, and South Korea.
The drill, which is set to run through May 2, involves some 1,100 troops and 90 aircraft from both sides, including South Korea’s F-35A, F-15K and KF-16 fighter jets, and the United States’ F-16 and F-35 B fighters and MQ-1 and MQ-9 drones.
