American F-35 fighter jet crashes under mysterious circumstances

CALIFORNIA, July 31 (YPA) – A U.S. Navy F-35 fighter jet crashed in California near Naval Air Station Lemoore, the second such incident this year.

According to a statement from the U.S. Navy, the pilot ejected safely. The cause of the crash, which occurred around 6:30 p.m., is under investigation.

The Navy explained that the aircraft was assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron VF-125, known as the “Rough Raiders,” a fleet replacement squadron responsible for pilot and aircrew training.

A video circulating showed flames and black smoke rising from the crash site, located in flat farmland near Naval Air Station Lemoore, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) southwest of Fresno in central California.

It is worth noting that the aircraft’s cost is estimated at $100 million.

This is the second accident this year, following the crash of an Air Force F-35A during a training mission at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska in January. The pilot also escaped without serious injury.

The F-35, known as a fifth-generation fighter jet and one of the most advanced combat aircraft in the world, is a key component of the US military’s fleet.

YPA