Marine Corps Locates Debris Field of Missing F-35

The Marine Corps has launched an investigation as it paused aviation operations for two days following the incident.

Kimberly Johnson

Tuesday, September 19, 2023 at 01:43 PM ET

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Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II [Credit: U.S. Navy]

Key Takeaways:

The missing Marine Corps F-35B fighter jet, whose pilot safely ejected, has been located as a debris field in rural Williamsburg County, South Carolina, after a day-long search.
The pilot was quickly recovered and treated, but it took military officials over 24 hours to find the wreckage of the $100 million aircraft.
The incident is under investigation, and the Marine Corps has temporarily paused all aviation operations, following recent fatal air crashes and prompting a service-wide safety review and scrutiny from Capitol Hill.

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The missing Marine Corps F-35B—what’s left of it—that was reported missing after its pilot ejected during a mishap Sunday afternoon has been located in rural South Carolina, according to officials.

The pilot of the Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort-based fighter jet ejected safely over North Charleston on Sunday afternoon while flying with another F-35. The pilot was quickly located and taken to an area hospital for treatment, however, it took military officials a day to locate the $100 million fighter jet.