$100Million US Navy Jet Crashes Near California Base, Bursts Into Flames, Pilot Survives
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The pilot ejected safely and is being attended to by emergency medical personnel, while the cause of the incident remains under investigation.
A U.S. Navy F-35 fighter jet crashed on Wednesday evening near Naval Air Station Lemoore in central California, the Navy has confirmed in a statement.
The crash occurred around 6:30 p.m. in a flat, open farmland area approximately 40 miles southwest of Fresno.
The pilot ejected safely and is being attended to by emergency medical personnel, while the cause of the incident remains under investigation.
Footage from CNN affiliate KFSN showed flames and thick black smoke billowing from the crash site shortly after the incident. The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that emergency crews were assisting the pilot, with Cal Fire also responding to the scene.
According to CNN, the jet involved was an F-35A Lightning II, known as the “Frankenjet,” assigned to the 4th Fighter Generation Squadron, 388th Fighter Wing. The aircraft had recently returned to operational duty at Hill Air Force Base following final maintenance work at Lockheed Martin’s facility in Fort Worth, Texas.
Navy Identifies Crashed Jet as $100 Million F-35C, Second F-35 Crash in 2025
The US Navy has confirmed that the fighter jet was an F-35C assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron VF-125, known as the “Rough Raiders.” The squadron serves as a Fleet Replacement Squadron responsible for training pilots and aircrew.
The F-35C is one of three variants of the F-35 Lightning II series, specifically designed for carrier-based operations. The US Air Force operates the F-35A, while the Marine Corps uses the F-35B, a short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) variant.
Wednesday’s crash marked the second F-35 accident this year. In January, an Air Force F-35A crashed during a training mission at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska. Like in the recent incident, the pilot safely ejected.
With a unit cost of about $100 million, the F-35 is a fifth-generation stealth fighter jet and a cornerstone of US military airpower. Manufactured by Lockheed Martin, the aircraft is renowned for its advanced stealth, situational awareness, and combat capabilities.
According to the World Air Forces database from FlightGlobal.com, the US Air Force currently operates 246 F-35s, the Marine Corps has 122, and the Navy 41. Globally, over 17 countries participate in the F-35 program.
Despite its cutting-edge design, the F-35 has come under increasing scrutiny in recent years due to concerns about maintenance challenges and operational readiness.
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