US Forces Korea’s A-10 Thunderbolt Jet Accidentally Drops Non-explosive Projectile

A US Forces Korea A-10 Thunderbolt II jet accidentally dropped a non-explosive projectile while on a training mission earlier this month.

The ground attack A-10 Thunderbolt II, assigned to the Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, some 70 kilometers south of Seoul, "inadvertently released an unguided non-explosive projectile" in a remote "off-range area" on Oct. 13, though there was "not a significant threat to anyone" due to the terrain at the projected location of impact, Yonhap news said quoting the US Military.

It did not provide the exact location, but the Stars and Stripes paper reported that it was the eastern mountainous province of Gangwon. "In order to preserve operational security, we cannot discuss the specifics of the projectile other than it is made up of a composite material that would either break up or burn upon impact," the military said in a statement.

The U.S. military immediately notified South Korea of the incident and jointly carried out a search operation until Oct. 16, it said. The report did not say if the projectile was found.

"Leadership from the 51st FW have implemented additional mitigation measures to reduce the likelihood of incidents like this occurring in the future," it said, adding that a safety investigation was under way.

The A-10 Thunderbolt II is the preferred ground attack aircraft of the US.