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A U.S. Air Force pilot experienced an “inflight malfunction” with his F-35 fighter jet and crashed on Tuesday during a training exercise. The pilot was able to safely eject and was reportedly not seriously injured. Video footage of the F-35 crash at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska has since gone viral.
Colonel Paul Townsend, commander of the 354th Fighter Wing, said in a news conference that the F-35, the world’s most expensive fighter jet, crashed during the landing phase of the flight. “The pilot is safe and has been transported to Bassett Army Hospital for further evaluation,” he said during the press briefing, adding, “Our people are our most important resource, and we are committed in ensuring their safety and security. I can assure you the United States Air Force will conduct a thorough investigation in hopes to minimize the chances of such occurrences from happening again.”
Good luck with that.
Last May, an F-35 was flying from Texas to Edwards Air Force Base near Los Angeles when it crashed after the pilot stopped to refuel in New Mexico.
In September of 2023, a pilot ejected from an F-35 when he didn’t need to, causing the fighter to fly unmanned for 11 minutes before it crashed in South Carolina in 2023.
In December of 2022, a pilot ejected from a F-35B Lightning II fighter jet at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth in Texas before it crashed.
An F-35 also crashed at Hill Air Force Base in Utah in October 2022 when turbulent air confused its avionics.
Another F-35 crashed while attempting a specialized landing on the U.S.S. Carl Vinson in the South China Sea in January 2022.
In October of 2020, a Marine pilot narrowly escaped death by ejecting from his F-35 before it crashed near Thermal Airport in Imperial County, California.
And those are just some of the examples of F-35 crashes. There are actually several more.