Sources: All F-35s to be inspected

Reuters is reporting that U.S. and British military officials are working on a joint directive to require mandatory inspections of engines on all Lockheed Martin F-35 jets, after an Air Force F-35A caught fire at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., last week. That's according to sources familiar with the situation, according to Reuters. Eglin is home of the F-35 training center, and the incident there involved the third stage of the Pratt and Whitney F135 engine, the sources said. "The engine ripped through the top of the plane," one said. The inspections could take about 90 minutes, and will prevent a planned F-35 "fly by" at the July 4 naming ceremony of Britain's new aircraft carrier. But the U.S. Marine Corps said it still plans to send four jets to participate in the Royal International Air Tatoo and Farnborough International Air Show. (Source: Reuters, 07/02/14)