A US Navy F-35 fighter jet crashed in central California on Wednesday (local time) near Naval Air Station Lemoore, according to a Navy press statement, CNN reported.
The pilot ejected safely, and the cause of the crash, which occurred around 6:30 pm, is under investigation, the statement said.
Video from CNN affiliate KFSN showed fire and thick black smoke rising from the crash site in flat, open farmland near the air station, around 40 miles (64 kilometers) southwest of the city of Fresno in central California.
A local EMS crew was at the scene helping the pilot, and Cal Fire also responded, a Fresno County sheriff’s Office statement said, as per CNN.
The aircraft was assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron VF-125, known as the “Rough Raiders,” the Navy said. VF-125 is a Fleet Replacement Squadron, responsible for training pilots and aircrew.
The crashed jet was an F-35C, one of three variants of the F-35 Lightning II, designed for use on US aircraft carriers. The US Air Force flies the F-35A while the Marine Corps flies the F-35B, a short takeoff, vertical landing jet.
The crash of the aircraft, priced at around USD 100 million, was the second of an F-35 this year, CNN reported. An Air Force F-35A crashed at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska in January during a training mission. The pilot also ejected safely in that incident.
The F-35, a fifth-generation fighter jet and one of the world’s most advanced warplanes, is a cornerstone of the US military’s fleet.
Manufactured by Lockheed Martin, it’s lauded for its advanced stealth and combat capabilities. Worldwide, more than 17 countries are part of the F-35 program, the company says.
But the jet has faced increased scrutiny in recent years over maintenance and readiness issues, as reported by CNN. (ANI)
