Navy Launches F-35 Recovery Efforts Following 'Landing Mishap'

The U.S. Navy has launched a salvage operation in the South China Sea in an attempt to retrieve a F-35C that went down into the South China Sea during a "landing mishap" earlier this week.

Kimberly Johnson

Thursday, January 27, 2022 at 04:26 PM ET

Verified

A Navy pilot ejected from the F-35C Lightning II during the incident and was recovered from the water by a U.S. military helicopter.

Key Takeaways:

A U.S. Navy F-35C stealth fighter crashed into the South China Sea after a "landing mishap" aboard the USS Carl Vinson, leading to injuries for seven sailors and the pilot's safe ejection.
The U.S. Navy has launched a salvage operation to retrieve the advanced fighter jet, prioritizing its recovery to prevent other nations, particularly China, from accessing its sensitive technology.
The incident, which is under investigation, occurred during routine flight operations as part of dual-carrier drills in the South China Sea and marks the second F-35 mishap reported in less than a month.

See a mistake? Contact us.

The U.S. Navy has launched a salvage operation in the South China Sea in an attempt to retrieve a F-35C that went down into the South China Sea during a “landing mishap” earlier this week.

“The U.S. Navy is making recovery operations arrangements for the F-35C aircraft involved in the mishap aboard USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) in the South China Sea, Jan. 24,” 7th Fleet spokesperson Lt. Nicholas Lingo said in a statement.