BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany has grounded half of its aging Tornado fighter jets, including six currently deployed to Turkey as part of the fight against Islamic State, after discovering loose screws that cannot be properly tightened in some key cockpit equipment.
A spokesman for the German Defence Ministry said the issue affected 42 of the country's 85 Tornados, including the six jets being used for surveillance flights out of Incirlik air base in Turkey near the Syrian border.
He said the issue centers on the screws used to fasten the control and display unit in the rear of the jet's cockpit.
He said the aircraft would not be allowed to fly until a solution had been found to secure the screws, since loose screws could cause problems elsewhere in the aircraft.
It was not immediately clear how long it would take to resolve the issue, or the likely cost.
The issue affects the newer ASST A3 model of the Tornados, which first entered into service between 1981 and 1992.