The pilot ejected from the $100 million F-35 fighter jet claimed to have lost the plane in weather — and likely bailed out before he could activate its tracking system, sources and experts said.
“He wasn’t sure where his plane crashed, said he just lost it in the weather,” a voice about the pilot was heard in a Charleston County Emergency Medical Services call broadcast Tuesday by meteorologists.
The unidentified pilot landed in a residential area of North Charleston and was taken to a local hospital for treatment.
He was released.
Military officials have yet to release a specific reason for the pilot’s hasty exit, referring only to the incident as a “derailment”.
The pilot said he lost the plane in bad weather before escaping to safety. AFP via Getty Images
Longtime military aviation expert and consultant Richard Aboulafia told The Post the pilot likely operated the stealth fighter without any detection capabilities activated — and ejected before he could do so.
“If you turn on the onboard device it will be easy to detect,” he said. “But this is a stealth plane. If you do not turn on a certain device, it will be difficult to contact. Most likely, he didn’t have much time to react.”
Military officials had to ask for the public’s help in finding the plane — via a post on Facebook.
The plane crashed into a rural area in South Carolina Sunday.AFP via Getty Images
“It’s incredible,” Aboulafia said of the effort. “But what’s wrong? The onboard device has not been turned on, it is not tracked. So it makes perfect sense that they would seek help from people in the area who might have seen the jet heading their way.”
The plane eventually crashed into a wooded area in South Carolina about 60 miles from where the pilot plunged to the ground.
Officials have cordoned off the area near the area where the plane landed in AP
State law enforcement officials said they officially identified the plane on Monday and have since closed a mile-long road in Williamsburg County.
Locals in the countryside said they heard ear-piercing screams before a huge explosion rocked their homes.
The jets are part of the US Department of Defense’s most expensive weapons systems program, according to a May 2023 report from the US Government Accountability Office.
The agency is considering modernizing the aircraft’s engines.
Officials have not yet given the specific “flaws” that caused the pilot to be ejected.AP
Aboulafia said that while the high-tech model may have problems, it is still considered the top fighter jet around the world and is coveted by a long list of governments.
“I understand the frustration with the delays and cost overruns and whatever else,” he said. “But the reality is they can’t produce this fast enough for demand. And that’s the conclusion.”
By Postal Wire
Categories: Trending
Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
