DefenseU.S. Navy F-35C Fighter Jet Crashes in California
An F-35C Lightning II fighter jet belonging to the U.S. Navy crashed near Naval Air Station (NAS) Lemoore, California, on the evening of July 30. The aircraft was assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron 125 (VFA-125) “Rough Raiders”, based at NAS Lemoore.
According to an official statement released by the base, the incident occurred at 6:30 p.m. local time on the operational side of the installation. The pilot was able to eject safely and is reported to be in good condition. No other personnel were affected, and the exact location of the crash has not been disclosed.
The cause of the accident is under investigation, and the Navy has not confirmed whether the jet was conducting a training flight at the time of the incident.
The F-35C is the carrier-based variant of the fifth-generation stealth fighter developed by Lockheed Martin. It is designed for catapult launches and arrested landings aboard aircraft carriers. VFA-125 serves as a training squadron for F-35C pilots preparing for carrier operations.
U.S. Navy Statement
NAS Lemoore can confirm an aviation incident on the Operations side of the installation. At 1830, an F-35C attached to the VFA-125 “Rough Raiders” went down not far from NAS Lemoore. NAS Lemoore can confirm the pilot successfully ejected and is safe. There are no additional affected personnel.
The cause of the incident is under investigation.
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