Navy Recovers F-35C Sunk In South China Sea In ‘Landing Mishap’

The aircraft was hoisted by a crane from a depth of 12,400 feet in the South China Sea, the Navy said.

Friday, March 04, 2022 at 02:43 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. [Courtesy: U.S. Navy]

Key Takeaways:

The U.S. Navy successfully recovered an F-35C Lightning II stealth fighter that crashed into the South China Sea earlier this year.
The advanced aircraft was located and retrieved from approximately 12,400 feet below the water's surface using a remotely operated vehicle and specialized rigging.
The recovery operation was prioritized to prevent other countries, specifically China, from accessing the advanced fighter jet or claiming salvage rights in the contested waters.
The F-35 will be transported for inspection as part of an ongoing investigation into the landing mishap.

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The U.S. Navy has successfully recovered a F-35C Lightning II that went down into the South China Sea in a “landing mishap” earlier this year.

U.S. 7th Fleet’s Task Force (CTF) 75 and Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) launched the salvage effort in late January after a Navy pilot ejected during a routine flight operation aboard the USS Carl Vinson and the fighter jet assigned to the Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 2 plunged into the ocean.