RAF F-35 crashes in Med

[CHINOOKER]

BBC news reporting an RAF F-35 has crashed in the Med….pilot ejected and recovered and reported ok

[Fives]

News breaking on BBC...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59323895

[PeteHemsley]

Reports coming in that a uk f35 has crashed into the med. Operating from the QE.

Pilot is safe and returned to the carrier

[DavieB]

This....will be interesting.

Good to see the pilot's OK.

[Discodaz]

Yep just heard the same. Thankfully pilot safe.

Daz

[CHINOOKER]

Interesting and expedient recovery operation of the airframe required…..expect the Chinese/Russians will be monitoring situation very closely!!

[willow70]

Let them have it . That will set their mil development back 10 years especially if they try and replicate the joke B variant.

[iainpeden]

What's the betting that the warranty ran out last month?

[slogen51]

Let them have it . That will set their mil development back 10 years especially if they try and replicate the joke B variant.

You mean the F-35B that can operate on ships and therefore deploy anywhere in the world without relying on friendly foreign airfields and dip clearance

[Agent K]

Let them have it . That will set their mil development back 10 years especially if they try and replicate the joke B variant.

Do you make that statement as an F-35B pilot? Or an armchair pilot? Funny thing is my friend who’s an F-35B squadron commander really rates the aircraft as a step change to what he flew before, and I tend to believe him.

[Red-Eye-Knight]

Just seen in the news glad pilot ok but there goes 100 million down the drain or should I say sea.

[Alf]

Let them have it . That will set their mil development back 10 years especially if they try and replicate the joke B variant.

Another armchair expert.. all those countries that are buying the F-35 must all be wrong..

[graham-green]

Not unusual for any airframe type to lose one every now and then. It's not unheard of and all throughout aviation history has this type of thing occurred even among our favourite aircraft types, which some seem to prefer. Those old types are gone all we embrace the new to give us security at home and allow is to quibble freely online. I am no expert but from what I read and heard the pilots are in favour of the F35 and new fast jet pilots want to be selected to fly.

[Vulcanone]

Actually if I remember correctly the Yak-38 may well have provided some things towards the design of the lift system on the F-35B.....

[Agent K]

Actually if I remember correctly the Yak-38 may well have provided some things towards the design of the lift system on the F-35B.....

I’m not so sure the Russians provided anything towards the F-35B design! I think you’ll find the Yak-38 had 2 forward lift jets and not an engine driven lift fan.

[ChrisCwmbran]

Just saying... but you know it could possibly have been the pilots fault.

[Richard B]

Actually if I remember correctly the Yak-38 may well have provided some things towards the design of the lift system on the F-35B.....

Your thinking of the Yak 141.

[eggchaser]

Lockheed certainly collaborated (read bankrolled) with Yakovlev in the early nineties while the Russian firm were developing the aborted Yak-141. You could certainly see the potential for a tech crossover with the -B there.

[CHINOOKER]

BBC news has been reporting that the crash happened shortly after take off from QE!

[Thunder]

That’s an expensive day at the office, and my boss gets on at us for wasting cable ties