U.S. F-16 hit during Afghanistan mission

A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon takes off at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, Feb. 11, 2014 (Photo: U.S. Air Force)

A U.S. F-16 fighter pilot was forced to make an unscheduled landing after being hit with small-arms fire in Afghanistan.

Pentagon spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis confirmed Monday that an F-16 was hit sometime last week during a mission. One of the plane's stabilizers was damaged, at which time the pilot jettisoned two external fuel tanks and three pieces of munitions.

Capt. Jeff Davis told CNN he was trying to obtain more details from the U.S.-led NATO coalition, the network reported Monday. The coalition has not yet formally acknowledged the incident.

The pilot was not injured.

TRENDING: Capitol authorities on high alert Thursday over 'real inauguration' threat

"House of War: Islam's Jihad Against the World" conveys what the West needs to know about Islam and the violent, expansionary ideology that seeks the subjugation and destruction of other faiths, cultures and systems of government

U.S. military officials, who initially said they had no information on a damaged F-16, disclosed some details after Agence France-Presse presented them with photos of the jettisoned payload, Stars and Stripes reported Monday.

The 555th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron and its contingent of F-16s operates from Bagram Air Field, north of Kabul.