Air Force extends grounding for F-35s amid oxygen problem

Published June 12, 2017 6:04pm ET



The Air Force is keeping a squadron of its newest F-35 fighter aircraft on the ground while it continues to probe why some pilots have reported experiencing symptoms of oxygen deprivation while in the cockpit.

The temporary grounding affects only the F-35s at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona, where five pilots in the past five weeks have reported symptoms consistent with “hypoxia,” or lack of oxygen.

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