SoKor F-35 Stealth Jet Makes Emergency 'Belly Landing'

The pilot of a South Korean F-35A jet fighter made an emergency "belly landing" at an airbase on Tuesday after its landing gear malfunctioned due to electronic issues, a South Korean Air Force spokesperson said, Brad Lendon and Gawon Bae reported for CNN.

Photo Insert: A Korean Air Force F-35A jet fighter

According to experts, the "belly landing" -- touching down with landing gear retracted -- was an unprecedented event for the $100 million US-designed stealth fighter now in use or on order by more than a dozen countries.

"The jet did an emergency landing as the landing gear did not extend. This would mean the jet did the 'belly landing,'" said a South Korean military official, who would not confirm whether the aircraft suffered any damage in the incident.

Even if it did, it would demonstrate superb flying skills by the pilot, whom officials said walked away from the landing, according to a South Korean military official. "A gear-up landing on the F-35 may be quite difficult and dangerous because of the angle of attack the aircraft has on approach to touchdown," said David Cenciotti, a former Italian air force officer and editor of The Aviationist blog.

"The F-35 lands really fast. It's not an F-16, 18 or 111," said Peter Layton, a former Australian air force officer now at the Griffith Asia Institute, referring to older, less sophisticated military aircraft than the F-35.

"I'm very surprised the emergency gear down systems didn't work or weren't used," he said. Layton also expressed surprise that the South Korean pilot didn't eject, "but clearly they did the right thing," he said. An investigation into the incident was underway, South Korean officials said.

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