Marine Corps F-35 Crash: What We Know
OAN’s James Meyers
6:21 PM – Wednesday, September 20, 2023
Military investigators are facing scrutiny ever since an F-35 stealth fighter jet went missing for over 24 hours this weekend. The wreckage was discovered later in South Carolina.
Many questions are being asked about just what caused the pilot to eject, and how the $100 million warplane was able to keep flying without a pilot for 60 miles.
A Marine Corps pilot was flying a single seat F-35B fighter jet on Sunday when the pilot claimed that the warplane was malfunctioning and was “forced to eject,” according to an anonymous Marine Corps official who was not authorized to speak publicly.
The warplane was at an altitude of almost 1,000 feet and a mile away from Charleston International Airport, which is a populated area, causing the pilot to parachute into a residential backyard.
“How in the hell do you lose an F-35?” Rep. Nancy Mace, (R-S.C.), asked in a social media post. “How is there not a tracking device and we’re asking the public to what, find a jet and turn it in?”
Military officials did not have an explanation why the pilot ejected from the aircraft, but military experts and former F-35 pilots said that such a decision would not be made so easily.
“The ejection is a last-ditch decision,” said David Berke, who served as a commanding officer in the Marine Corps’ first F-35 squadron in South Carolina from 2012 to 2014.
“Something has occurred catastrophically where the risk to the aircraft and the surrounding environment is so high that ejection will preserve the life of the pilot.”
The F-35B is different compared to other models, said Dan Grazier, a senior defense policy fellow at the Project on Government Oversight.
“The F-35B has an auto-eject function,” he said. “I’m curious to know if it ejected him involuntarily.”
“I don’t fault a pilot for bailing out of an aircraft if that’s the right course of action,” Grazier said, adding that the military will want to know if it was done out of mechanical or software failure, pilot error or something else.
According to the Pentagon, all Marine Corps aircrafts both inside and outside the United States were suspended from flying on Monday and Tuesday to allow units “to discuss aviation safety matters and best practices.”
Experts also say the preliminary crash report could typically take about 90 days, but a full report could take an entire year.
Lockheed Martin has delivered 190 F-35B variants to the Marine Corps, at a cost of $100 million each.
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Is there any evidence to suggest that the pilot’s ejection from the F-35B was an involuntary action caused by mechanical or software failure?
“title”: “Investigation Underway After F-35 Fighter Jet Goes Missing for Over 24 Hours”,
“author”: “Your Name”,
“date”: “September 21, 2023”
On the weekend of September 20, 2023, the military found itself facing scrutiny as a state-of-the-art F-35 stealth fighter jet went missing for over 24 hours. The wreckage was later discovered in South Carolina, raising numerous questions about the incident.
The incident occurred when a Marine Corps pilot was flying a single-seat F-35B fighter jet. According to an anonymous Marine Corps official who was not authorized to speak publicly, the pilot claimed that the warplane experienced a malfunction and was “forced to eject.” This decision led to the warplane flying without a pilot for a staggering distance of 60 miles.
The fact that the $100 million warplane was able to keep flying without a pilot raises concerns about the safety and security measures installed in the aircraft. Many are asking how an F-35 jet, equipped with advanced technology, was able to function without a pilot for such a long distance.
Representative Nancy Mace of South Carolina voiced her concerns on social media, questioning how such a high-value aircraft could be lost without a tracking device. She wondered why the public was being asked to find the missing jet.
Military officials have not provided an explanation as to why the pilot ejected from the aircraft. This decision is considered a last resort, taken only in dire situations where the risk to the aircraft and the surrounding environment is high. Former F-35 pilots and military experts have emphasized that such a decision is not made lightly.
The F-35B model differs from other F-35 variants, as it possesses an auto-eject function. Some experts have raised the question of whether the ejection was involuntary, possibly caused by a mechanical or software failure. While it is not uncommon for pilots to bail out of an aircraft when necessary, the military is keen to determine the cause behind this incident.
As a precautionary measure, the Pentagon suspended all Marine Corps aircraft operations both inside and outside the United States on Monday and Tuesday. This pause in flight operations allowed units to discuss aviation safety matters and share best practices.
The investigation into the missing F-35B fighter jet is still ongoing. Military officials are working diligently to uncover the circumstances surrounding the incident and to ensure that such a situation does not occur again in the future.
The disappearance of an F-35 fighter jet raises concerns not only about the security and functionality of these high-value aircraft but also about the safety of pilots and civilians in surrounding areas. This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of constant vigilance and the need to address any potential flaws or vulnerabilities in military aviation systems.
As the investigation proceeds, it is hoped that any findings will contribute to a safer and more secure military aviation environment, protecting both the integrity of high-tech aircraft and the lives of those operating them.
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