Oops, I Did it Again: US F-16 Jet Accidentally Drops Dummy Bomb in Japan

TOKYO (Sputnik) - A US F-16 fighter jet accidentally dropped a dummy bomb during a training flight in Japan's northern Aomori prefecture that was later found on private land outside the training grounds, the command of the US forces in Japan (USFJ) said on Thursday.

"While conducting training, an F-16 at Misawa [Air Base] released a device 5 kilometres [3 miles] from the Draughon range late Wednesday. The cause of the incident is still under investigation, and USFJ notified GOJ [Government of Japan] this morning in accordance with all agreements", the command said on Twitter.

According to the US military, there have been no reports of injuries or damage.

2/2 There have been no reports of injury or damage. USFJ takes safety seriously and Misawa has suspended inert drops until further notice.

This incident highlights the importance of realistic training to ensure safety of operations.

— U.S. Forces Japan (@USForcesJapan) November 7, 2019

Similar incidents involving US military aircraft stationed in Japan have happened in recent years. In particular, at least two helicopters made emergency landings in residential areas of Okinawa prefecture, and a 10-year-old student suffered a minor injury after a helicopter window fell onto a local school.

Two U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancers assigned to the 37th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, deployed from Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, flew from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, for a 10-hour mission, flying in the vicinity of Kyushu, Japan, the East China Sea, and the Korean peninsula, Aug. 7, 2017.

© US Air Force

In a more serious incident, three servicemen were killed off the coast of Okinawa when a C2-A aircraft with 11 people on board crashed into the Pacific Ocean in November 2017. A month earlier, a CH-53 helicopter made an emergency landing on private property before bursting into flames.