The US military has made an unprecedented appeal to the public for assistance in locating one of its F-35 fighter jets. The aircraft went missing on Sunday afternoon when the pilot was flying in the southern state of South Carolina. The pilot is currently in stable condition in a hospital, but the multi-million dollar jet remains unaccounted for.
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The Incident
The F-35, one of the world's most advanced fighter jets with a price tag of $80m (£65m), disappeared after its pilot ejected from the aircraft. The search is currently focused around two lakes north of the city of Charleston, based on the jet's last known location. The reason for the pilot's ejection from the aircraft is still unclear. Joint Base Charleston referred to the incident as a "mishap" in its appeal posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The Appeal
"The pilot ejected safely and was transferred to a local medical center in stable condition. Emergency response teams are still trying to locate the F-35," Joint Base Charleston said. "The public is asked to cooperate with military and civilian authorities as the effort continues." The base encouraged anyone with information that could help its recovery teams to contact its operations center. This public appeal is a rare move by the military and underscores the urgency of locating the missing jet.
The F-35 Fighter Jet
The F-35 fighter jet, made by Lockheed Martin, is considered one of the world's most advanced fighter jets. In 2018, the US military temporarily grounded its entire fleet of F-35 fighter jets after a crash in South Carolina. This incident has raised questions about how such an advanced and expensive piece of military hardware could simply disappear. As local congresswoman Nancy Mace put it, "How in the hell do you lose an F-35? How is there not a tracking device and we're asking the public to what, find a jet and turn it in?" As investigations continue into why the pilot ejected and where exactly the jet ended up, all eyes will be on South Carolina's skies and lakes for any sign of the missing F-35.