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Bomb goes astray during NATO exercise
November 14, 2003 (by
Lieven Dewitte) -
The Norwegian Department of Defense announced today that a Dutch F-16 accidentally dropped a 500lbs (227 kg) bomb during a weapons instructor course in Norway. The bomb did not detonate.
The aircraft was participating in a NATO exercise, along with Norwegian and Belgian F-16s. The MK 82 bomb landed 120 meters (400 ft) away from a manned observation post in the Dovre Mountains.
According to the Norwegian Defense department, the bomb would have caused limited damage and would not have harmed the three observers, if it had detonated.
An investigation will reveal why the pilot missed his mark and why the bomb did not detonate. According to a military spokesperson, the two pilots in the F-16 jet are experienced with lots of theory and flying hours in their baggage.
In June a Royal Netherlands Air Force F-16 also mistakenly dropped a 250lbs dummy practice bomb outside a bombrange in the Netherlands. The bomb impacted some 50ft from some tourists who were visting a small museum. Since it was a dummy, there was no explosion either. No one got harmed.
According to the Norwegian Defense department, the bomb would have caused limited damage and would not have harmed the three observers, if it had detonated.
An investigation will reveal why the pilot missed his mark and why the bomb did not detonate. According to a military spokesperson, the two pilots in the F-16 jet are experienced with lots of theory and flying hours in their baggage.
In June a Royal Netherlands Air Force F-16 also mistakenly dropped a 250lbs dummy practice bomb outside a bombrange in the Netherlands. The bomb impacted some 50ft from some tourists who were visting a small museum. Since it was a dummy, there was no explosion either. No one got harmed.
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