RMAF launches safety probe into Hawk fighter jet fleet

This follows an incident involving one of its aircraft at Sultan Abdul Halim Airport on Tuesday.

Screenshots of the video showing the fighter jet skidding on its nose on the runway at Sultan Abdul Halim Airport in Alor Setar.

PETALING JAYA:

 The Royal Malaysian Air Force has launched an investigation into the safety of its Hawk fighter jet fleet.

Defence minister Khaled Nordin said the investigation was initiated following an incident on Tuesday when a Hawk fighter jet skidded off the runway while landing at Sultan Abdul Halim Airport in Alor Setar, Kedah.

“There were no physical injuries. RMAF has initiated an investigation to assess the safety of all its Hawk aircraft,” Bernama reported him as saying in Kota Tinggi, Johor.

On Tuesday, RMAF confirmed that one of its Hawk 208 fighter jets veered off the runway following a nose landing gear malfunction while attempting to land.

According to its official statement, the incident occurred at about 5pm during an opening gambit training exercise in preparation for the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition 2025.

A video showing the aircraft bouncing several times before its nose landing gear collapsed, causing it to skid on its nose, had gone viral. - FMT