Tainan: Human and environmental factors have been ruled out as potential causes of the accidental firing of a flare from a jet fighter during routine training in April, the Air Force Command said Monday, and it is now looking into mechanical factors.
According to Focus Taiwan, an Indigenous Defense Fighter (IDF) jet fired off flares during routine training over Tainan Air Base on April 30, prompting an investigation to determine the cause of the incident. The Air Force Command issued a brief statement indicating that the investigation examined human, environmental, and mechanical factors that may have contributed to the incident. Both human and environmental factors have been ruled out, but the Command did not provide further details.
In response to the potential mechanical issue, the Command announced that a comprehensive inspection is being conducted across the entire IDF fleet to prevent similar incidents in the future. However, specific details regarding the possible mechanical issue were not disclosed.
The flares on fighter jets are typically used to protect them against incoming guided missiles, the Air Force explained.