The US does not know the whereabouts of an F-35 fighter jet that disappeared in South Carolina after an “accident” that caused the plane to crash over North Chareston. The pilot ejected safely and was transported to a hospital unit. The Charleston base is now asking for help finding an F-35B Lightning II.
The inability to locate the aircraft is causing many doubts and surprises in a country where the question is already being asked: how was it possible to lose an aircraft worth $80 million.
Joint Base Charleston (JBC) published a message on social media asking for help in obtaining information about the fighter plane that disappeared last Sunday (17) while flying over South Carolina (east).
“Based on last known position,” searches are concentrated near two large lakes north of Charleston (east).
We cooperate @MCASBeaufortSC to locate an F-35 involved in an accident this afternoon. The pilot ejected safely. If you have information that could help our recovery teams locate the F-35, please call the Base Defense Operations Center at 843-963-3600.
– Joint Base Charleston (@TeamCharleston) September 17, 2023
The F-35 Lightning II is a highly coveted aircraft, especially in Ukraine, due to its shape and features that prevent it from being detected by radars. “We are still collecting information. The investigation is ongoing,” a spokeswoman for Joint Base Charleston told AFP.
The pilot ejected for unknown reasons in a North Charleston neighborhood, leaving the fighter on autopilot.
“How do you lose an F-35?”. wave of criticism
JBC spokesman Jeremy Huggins told the Washington Post that the fighter’s transponder (a device that transmits signals) was not working, making it difficult to detect the device’s location.
It is not the first time that a fighter jet has disappeared. In 1989, the pilot of a Soviet MiG-23 ejected in Poland and the plane remained on autopilot until it crashed in Belgium, more than 600 miles away.
The disappearance of the plane, which cost at least $80 million, sparked a wave of criticism on the Internet.
“How do you lose an F-35? How come there is no tracking device and what are we asking the public to do, find and return a fighter jet?”, Republican Congresswoman Nancy Mace asked on the social network (formerly Twitter). .
Now that I’ve got that out of the way. How the heck do you lose an F-35?
Why is there no tracking device and we ask the public what: find a plane and return it?
– Rep. Nancy Mace (@RepNancyMace) September 18, 2023
Some Internet users published manipulated photos with fake search messages hanging in trees: “F-35 missing. $500 reward,” one of them said. Others ridiculed the situation, citing Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has been asking for this type of plane for the war against Moscow for months since Russian troops invaded his country.
Now that I’ve got that out of the way. How the heck do you lose an F-35?
Why is there no tracking device and we ask the public what: find a plane and return it?
– Rep. Nancy Mace (@RepNancyMace) September 18, 2023
The next time I hear someone say that civilians don’t stand a chance with AR15s against the military with fighter jets, I’ll remind them that the government has asked civilians to help them find a missing F35.
-Lucas Botkin (@LucasBotkin) September 18, 2023
Source: DN
