US Navy: F-35 fighter jets remain grounded

The U.S. Navy maintained a grounding order Friday for F-35 B-model and C-model fighter jets pending an investigation into a massive engine failure on an Air Force F-35 jet last month.

“At this time, I do not have sufficient information to return the F-35B and F-35C fleet to flight,” Vice Admiral David Dunaway, commander of Naval Air Systems Command said in an updated directive, according to Reuters. “There is no discernible event that represents a root cause.”

{mosads}The U.S. Marine Corps and Britain will not be able to debut the fighter jets at two air shows in Britain this month until the grounding is lifted.

The Pentagon has grounded all 97 of its F-35 jets following an F-35 aircraft that caught fire while trying to take off from Eglin Air Force Base in Florida on June 23.

Dunaway said the Navy continues to investigate the incident and plans to update the flight directive by July 16.