The US Grounds All F-35 Jets

Thelasko tipped us off to this story. NBC News reports:
The U.S. Navy, Air Force and Marines -- as well as 11 international partners who participated in the program -- grounded all F-35 fighters on Thursday as part of an ongoing investigation into a jet that crashed in Beaufort, South Carolina, late last month.

'The pilot in that incident ejected safely but the aircraft was destroyed,' reports the BBC, adding 'the problem has already been identified as faulty fuel tubes. Once these are checked or replaced the aircraft will be back in the air.'

The U.S. has spent more than $320 billion to build their fleet of 2,400-plus F-35 jets, according to a recent GAO report -- or roughly $130 million for each one of the planes. The BBC calls it 'the largest and most expensive weapons program of its type in the world.'

Read more of this story at Slashdot.