By Ray Wert

Video of Japanese fighter jet base swamped by tsunami

Video of Japanese fighter jet base swamped by tsunami Earlier this morning, we showed you an amazing photo of a swamped Japanese F-2A fighter jet. Now there's video of the damage done to it — and 17 others — at its air base.

We've learned now that 18 F-2As belonging to the 21st Fighter Squadron out of the Matsushima Japanese Air Self Defence Force base in the Miyagi prefecture were swamped due to the tsunami that hit directly after the March 11th 9.0 earthquake.

The Mitsubishi F-2 is manufactured by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) and Lockheed Martin as a fighter jet for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, with a 60/40 split in manufacturing between Japan and the USA. Production started in 1996 and the first aircraft entered service in 2000. A total of 94 F-2s were produced.

And we've now learned that these 18 jets might be irreparably damaged.