US F-16 crashes near Las Vegas
A US F-16 fighter jet crashed on Wednesday near Las Vegas, the third US military aircraft crash in two days.
‘An air force F-16 assigned to Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, crashed at approximately 10:30 am during routine training on the Nevada Test and Training Range,’ the service said in a statement.’ The condition of the pilot is not known at this time,’ it said.
The crash followed two others the day before. In California, a USMC CH-53E helicopter crashed with four crew aboard.
‘The status of all four is presumed dead pending positive identification,’ the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing said.
And in Djibouti, a Marine AV-8B Harrier jet crashed after the pilot ejected during takeoff.
‘Doctors said the pilot was in stable condition,’ US Naval Forces Central Command said.
US Defense Department chief James Mattis secured a record budget last month for the Pentagon, which will allow investments that have been on hold for several years, including in the navy, which is overstretched in foreign theatres, and the air force, which suffers rapid pilot turnover due to more lucrative private sector options.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Defence Notes
-
![UK urged to prioritise sea, air and space over heavy armour]()
UK urged to prioritise sea, air and space over heavy armour
A report from the Council on Geostrategy argues the UK should move away from a traditional balanced force and shift investment to naval, air and space capabilities, backed by a larger fleet of attack submarines and deeper AUKUS integration.
-
![Thales: deployment speed to determine winners in ‘production versus production’ era]()
Thales: deployment speed to determine winners in ‘production versus production’ era
At its technology summit in London, attended by Shephard, Thales UK examined the importance of speed to delivery, the growing focus on cross-domain capabilities and how procurement reform could be crucial for future battlefield advantage.
-
![Orchestrating operational readiness across every defence domain]()
Orchestrating operational readiness across every defence domain
Are all systems ready for the next mission? Have upgrades been applied? Are all assets aligned to deploy together, on time and fully prepared? In modern defence operations, readiness is no longer measured platform by platform. It is measured by how well people, assets, data and decisions move together — across land, sea and air.
-
![Global tensions drive defence supply chain scrutiny]()
Global tensions drive defence supply chain scrutiny
Governments worldwide are scrambling to decouple defence supply chains from dependency upon strategic rivals, but countries could struggle to do it all themselves.
-
![How deepening AI usage can boost efficiency and maximise effects for forces]()
How deepening AI usage can boost efficiency and maximise effects for forces
Saab has outlined how it is using artificial intelligence to make training more like electronic gaming, while the UK’s Power Size Technologies is applying the same technology to better evaluate and design vehicle capability, moving AI-enabled innovation further upstream from the frontline.
-
![From systems integrator to multi-domain solutions provider (video)]()
From systems integrator to multi-domain solutions provider (video)
Philipp von Brandenstein, Head of Corporate Communications at Rheinmetall, explains how Eurosatory 2026 marked a new stage in the company's evolution.
