The United States Navy is scrambling to retrieve the F-35, its most advanced fighter jet, which crashed in the depths of the South China Sea.
According to American news network CNN, this race to reclaim the $100 million warplane is a highly complex operation that experts say will be closely monitored by Beijing.
The F-35C, the newest jet in the US Navy fleet, crash-landed on the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson during routine operations on Monday.
At least seven people were injured in a US F-35 jet crash on the deck of the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier in the South China Sea, the Navy said. The US Pacific Fleet said that the pilot of a US F-35 jet was conducting routine flight operations when the crash happened.
But he was safely ejected and was recovered by a military helicopter, and he is in stable condition.
The cause of what the statement called an “inflight mishap” is under probe, CNN reported.The crash is the first for an F-35C, a single-engine stealth fighter, designed for operations off aircraft carriers.
Some versions of the F-35 are also flown by US allies and partners, including Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
Monday’s crash in the South China Sea was the second involving an F-35 this year. Earlier this month, the pilot of a South Korean F-35 made an emergency “belly landing” at an airbase on Tuesday after its landing gear malfunctioned due to electronic issues, according to the South Korean Air Force.
In previous years, F-35s have been involved in at least eight other incidents, CNN reported, citing records kept by the crowd-sourced website.
