The F-14 had a stress tested airframe on the ground that was operated continuously at what I heard was 2X the average of any one F-14 in service around the world (Ed. - there were 79 in Tehran in 1979, 20 still operational today - Wikipedia). Last year, last month, I was in Burlington, Vermont when the F-18s it was ordered were grounded over fuselage stress cracks that had developed and they shifted the interceptor defense of the Northeast to the Vermont Air Guard where I was part of a crew digging archaeology test holes along the existing electrical power-line right-of-ways. It was a little strange to watch the permitted F-18s circle and touch-and-go over and over. I had forgot they'd been grounded, forgotten that is until this terrible accident. Perhaps the failure is "part" of last years' general order? Why the Fighter Plane Failed | Popular Science
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