F-35 Fighter Jet Faces Crashes At Eielson Air Force Base Near Alaska Pilot Ejects Safely Watch

(MENAFN- Live Mint) An F-35 fighter jet crashed at Eielson Air Force Base, located near Fairbanks, Alaska on January 28 during a training exercise. Base official said that the pilot was uninjured and ejected from aircraft after experiencing aexperienced an“in-flight malfunction.”

The crash happened while landing during a training exercise, according to the report. Eielson Air Force Base said in a statement that the incident on Tuesday afternoon resulted in "significant damage" to the F-35 Lightning II aircraft. The pilot was safe and taken to Bassett Army Hospital, according to the statement.

"I can assure you the United States Air Force will conduct a thorough investigation in hopes to minimise the chances of such occurrences from happening again," U.S. Air Force Colonel Paul Townsend, commander of the 354th Fighter Wing said in the statement.

'F-35 most expensive U.S. defense program'

The F-35 is the most expensive U.S. defense program and Lockheed Martin's biggest revenue generator, contributing about 30 percent of its bottom line. With the capability to fly more than 12 hours at a time, the F-35 can reach almost anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere in one mission.

The crash, which occurred early Tuesday afternoon, caused significant damage to the aircraft, the Air Force said in a statement.

Lockheed said earlier on Tuesday it would be less profitable than expected in 2025, in part because of a delayed rollout of upgrades to the F-35. The Pentagon plans to spend $1.7 trillion on the F-35 program, including buying 2,500 planes in the coming decades.

Previous incidents of F-35 crashes

In May 2024, an F-35 fighter jet on its way from Texas to Edwards Air Force Base near Los Angeles crashed after the pilot stopped to refuel in New Mexico. The pilot was taken to a hospital with serious injuries.

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