The US Air Force has removed 82 F-16D fighter jets from flight status after detecting structural cracks between the front and rear pilot seats, according to the military news website DefenceTalk.

The US Air Force has removed 82 F-16D fighter jets from flight status after detecting structural cracks between the front and rear pilot seats, according to the military news website DefenceTalk.

The number is significant since it makes up more than half of the Air Force’s entire fleet of F-16Ds – there are 157 of this variant total.

The service pointed to normal wear and tear as a result of accumulating flight hours and “sustained operations,” and said a permanent fix is in the works.