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F-35C accident, here’s how the recovery is going

2 years ago babelfish

F-35C accident, here's how the recovery is going

All the news on the US Navy F-35 C fighter crashed on the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson last week. All the details

Race to recover the US Navy F-35C fighter from the bottom of the South China Sea.

An F-35C Lighting II – the variant of the fighter designed for offshore carrier operations – was engaged in "routine flight operations" when it crashed on the deck of the aircraft carrier Uss Carl Vinson on January 24th.

As reported by CNN , according to analysts, the recovery of the aircraft built at Lockheed Martin is a complex operation. It is also under the radar of China, which claims rights over almost the entire South China Sea.

Meanwhile, images of the crash of the US Navy's F-35C stealth fighter have started circulating online.

All the details.

THE ACCIDENT TO THE F-35C

At least seven sailors were injured in the crash of a US Navy F-35 during a landing aboard the American aircraft carrier. This was reported by the US Pacific Fleet Command, according to which the accident occurred in the late evening of January 24th.

INVESTIGATIONS IN PROGRESS …

A spokesman for the United States Navy 7th Fleet said Friday that investigations into the incident are continuing.

… AND RECOVERY OPERATIONS

Start recovery operations immediately.

"We are certainly aware of the value of an F-35 in every respect of what value means," Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said last week. "And as we continue to attempt the recovery of the plane, we will obviously do so with safety in mind, but clearly our national security interests."

AUTHENTIC IMAGES

Meanwhile, photos and videos of the F-35 C involved in the crash began to circulate on Twitter.

In particular, one photograph shows the stealth fighter floating on the surface of the South China Sea, with the cockpit open and the ejection seat missing.
The video instead shows the F-35 approaching the aircraft carrier but stops before the plane hits the cockpit.

And the US Navy has confirmed that the images that surfaced on social media after the incident are authentic.

"The US Navy has assessed that the video and photo taken in the media today were taken aboard the USS Carl Vinson … during the incident," said Hayley Sims, 7th Fleet public affairs officer.

WHAT A BEIJING THINK TANK REVEALED

"[Rescue work] for the crashed F-35C appears to begin," Beijing-based think tank SCS Probing Initiative (SCSPI) tweeted Saturday, citing satellite imagery. The South China Morning Post newspaper reported .

According to the Chinese think tank, the United States has sent at least four Osprey military planes to retrieve the components of their F-35C fighter that crashed in the South China Sea.

THE COMMENT OF THE EXPERTS

However, as the BBC points out, a US ship appears to be at least 10 days away from the crash site. US national security experts believe the Chinese military would be "very eager" to reach the jet

"It's too late," defense consultant Abi Austen tells the BBC , because the black box's battery will run out before then, making it more difficult to locate the plane.

THE CHINESE POSITION

However, on Thursday, the Chinese foreign ministry said it was aware that a US Navy stealth fighter had crashed in the South China Sea, but that it "has no interest in their plane".

"We advise [the United States] to contribute more to regional peace and stability, rather than show strength at every corner [of the South China Sea]," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said.

THIRD TIME A LOCKHEED MARTIN HUNT ENDS IN THE SEA

Finally, this is the third time that an F-35 has crashed into the sea and must be recovered. In November a British F-35B, the short take-off and vertical landing version, crashed due to the loss of take-off power from the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth in the Mediterranean. The pilot was ejected and the plane was recovered from the seabed a few weeks later. In April 2019 a Japanese F-35A, the conventional take-off and landing version, crashed in the Pacific off northern Japan.

This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/innovazione/incidente-f-35c-ecco-come-va-il-recupero/ on Mon, 31 Jan 2022 10:25:40 +0000.