Washington, Aug 1 (SANA) An F-35B stealth fighter plane has crashed in California, but its pilot ejected and is expected to survive, the US Marine Corps said.
The jet went down on Friday near the Miramar airbase in San Diego. “The pilot ejected, was transported to a local medical facility in stable condition for evaluation and treatment of non-life-threatening injuries,” the Marine Corps said in a statement.
A Marine statement called Friday’s crash a “Class A mishap.” That’s the most severe mishap category, used when the damage totals more than $2 million, an aircraft is destroyed or a service member killed.
In the Air Force alone, there have been at least 17 other “Class A mishaps” involving F-35 aircraft since 2000, according to Air Force Safety Center statistics.
The F-35s are considered the safest and most capable fighter jets the military has in its fleet, according to the Lexington Institute think tank that focuses on defense technology and national security.
I.Z/MZ
