F-16 Fighting Falcon News

June 11, 2025 (by Lieven Dewitte) - A South Korean Air Force KF-16D fighter jet crashed during takeoff at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska around 16:00 on Tuesday. The aircraft, participating in a Red Flag-Alaska exercise, encountered an emergency shortly after becoming airborne, prompting both pilots to eject.
The KF-16D, a South Korean-built variant of the American F-16, was participating in Red Flag-Alaska, a multinational air combat drill hosted by the United States Pacific Air Forces. The crash occurred during a local acclimation flight ahead of the main phase of the exercise, which is set to begin on June 16.

Both pilots — captains in the South Korean Air Force — ejected safely and were taken to a nearby hospital with minor burns and lacerations.

Initial reports suggest a malfunction occurred just after the aircraft’s landing gear lifted off the runway. The two-seat jet was departing for a scheduled sortie when the emergency unfolded.

“The crashed aircraft, partially destroyed by fire, is located on the grass next to the runway,” the South Korean Air Force said in an official statement.

Red Flag-Alaska is a recurring joint exercise involving aircraft and personnel from allied nations. South Korea has deployed fighter jets to the exercise since 2013. This year’s iteration includes 11 aircraft and approximately 100 South Korean service members, including KF-16 fighters and KC-330 aerial refueling tankers.

“Takeoff and landing are the riskiest phases of flight for fighter jets,” said a South Korean military official, speaking anonymously. “The fact that both pilots survived is a testament to their training and professionalism.”

This incident marks the 15th crash involving a KF-16 since the aircraft was introduced in South Korea in the 1990s under license from Lockheed Martin. It is also the fifth reported South Korean military aviation incident this year, following two earlier KF-16 accidents in March and April.