Plane carrying Pete Hegseth forced to land in UK due to crack in windshield

A US Air Force aircraft carrying Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth was forced to make an unscheduled landing in the United Kingdom on Wednesday after a crack appeared in the cockpit windshield, according to a statement from the Pentagon.

The Boeing C-32A (registration 98-0002), operating as flight SAM153, was en route from Belgium to the United States following NATO’s Defence Minister meeting when the issue was detected. Shortly after, the aircraft began broadcasting the “7700” squawk code, the international transponder signal used to indicate a general emergency onboard, ranging from mechanical issues to medical incidents or cabin depressurization.

“The plane landed based on standard procedures and everyone onboard, including Secretary Hegseth, is safe,” the Pentagon confirmed in a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter).

The aircraft diverted safely to RAF Mildenhall, a Royal Air Force base frequently used by US military aircraft in the UK.

This incident follows a similar one in February, when a government jet carrying Secretary of State Marco Rubio had to return to base after a crack developed in the cockpit window, highlighting how such technical issues—though rare—can affect high-level government operations.

For aircraft enthusiasts, the C-32A involved is part of the US Air Force’s VIP transport fleet, typically used for senior government officials and high-ranking military personnel.