F-16I squadron resumes operational activity
Several weeks after grounding fighter jets due to detection of hazardous formaldehyde emissions, IAF clears all but seven F-16Is for flight
The IDF Spokesperson's Unit announced Sunday that the military's F-16I fighter jets will resume regular training and operational activity on Monday.
The F-16I "Storm" squadron was grounded in mid March after routine inspection detected presence of formaldehyde in three jets.
IAF Chief, Major General Eliezer Shkedi, ordered the Storm squadron's activity be resumed after further testing done by the corps. Seven jets, in which traces of formaldehyde were detected, remain grounded, but the rest of the squadron was cleared for flight.
In mid March, the air force received complaints from several airmen who reported harsh chemical odors in the cockpits of the F-16I. Inspections by the corps revealed traces of formaldehyde, which in high concentrations in known as cancerous.
The IAF, along with a team assigned by Lockheed Martin – which manufactures the jets – began investigating the cause of the hazardous emission. The entire squadron was grounded by orders of IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant-General Gabi Ashkenazi.
Lockheed Martin issued a statement saying in was "lending the Israeli Air Force every resource needed to investigate the matter"; adding the company has never has a similar complaint from any of its clients.
The IAF operated under the assumption that most of the squadron's pilots were exposed to formaldehyde, but the chances of any of them to develop cancer are believed to be slim.
Major General Shkedi held a special meeting with the pilots, in which they were told of the medical examinations they will have to undergo: "I take this issue very seriously. We will not spare any effort to fully understand the matter and to provide the appropriated countermeasures both for short and the long run," he said.
Formaldehyde was first discovered in the 19th century. It is an organic substance present in all living things in minute quantities. It is used widely by the adhesives, paints and disinfectants industries; but is most commonly knows for its use in embalming corpses.
Formaldehyde is biodegradable and usually dissolved in a few hours of exposure. In 2004, the World Health Organization published a report indicating it has been proven and cancerous.
