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

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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 following a landing mishap on the USS Carl Vinson, with the pilot safely ejecting.
Seven sailors sustained injuries in the incident, which occurred during routine flight operations.
The U.S. Navy has launched a salvage operation, prioritizing the recovery of the advanced jet's technology to prevent other nations, particularly China, from accessing it.
Experts suggest China will likely attempt to locate the wreckage and could potentially claim salvage rights based on its territorial claims in the South China Sea.

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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.