On January 28, 2025, an F-35A Lightning II fighter jet crashed at Eielson Air Force Base near Fairbanks, Alaska, during a training exercise. The pilot experienced an in-flight malfunction, declared an emergency, and safely ejected before the aircraft crashed during the landing phase. The pilot was transported to Bassett Army Hospital for evaluation and has […]
Author: Dan Grazier Date: December 18, 2024 Summary of the Article The article critiques the F-35 fighter jet program, calling it a costly failure with limited military value. Despite over two decades of development and nearly $300 billion spent, the aircraft has not demonstrated adequate combat capabilities or reliability. The focus on economic arguments to […]
By Stephen Losey Wednesday, Sep 18, 2024 The U.S. military has accepted 36 upgraded F-35 Joint Strike Fighters from Lockheed Martin since lifting a yearlong delivery halt in July. The delay was initially due to issues with the F-35’s updated Technology Refresh 3 (TR-3) hardware and software, which are essential for enabling the Block 4 […]
April 30, 2024 By Chris Gordon During a House Armed Services Committee hearing on April 30, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III defended the F-35 program against criticisms of its high cost and operational challenges. Lawmakers like Rep. Matt Gaetz raised concerns about the program’s sustainment costs, which are projected to exceed $1.5 trillion. […]
By Stephen Losey Thursday, Jul 11, 2024 The Pentagon has decided to resume accepting deliveries of Lockheed Martin’s F-35 jets after a year-long pause. Lt. Gen. Mike Schmidt, head of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program, approved a plan to accept the jets with a partial version of the TR-3 software, which is essential for […]
By Drew F. Lawrence and Thomas Novelly May 29, 2024 An Air Force test pilot was hospitalized in serious condition after an F-35B Lightning II crash near Albuquerque, New Mexico. The incident occurred while the jet was en route to Edwards Air Force Base from Fort Worth, Texas, following a refueling stop at Kirtland Air […]
The Air Force’s F-35A Lightning II can now fly in lightning and thunderstorms after a four-year restriction was lifted. This ban, in place since 2020, was due to a damaged tube in the Onboard Inert Gas Generation System (OBIGGS), which protects the jet’s fuel tanks from lightning strikes. The issue was discovered during maintenance at […]
By: Aero News Network Date: Mar 05, 2023 A Congressional Report highlighted significant failures in the F-35 program. In 2021, the TacAir study by the USAF indicated that the F-35 had failed to meet its objectives, with General Charles Q. Brown acknowledging its shortcomings. By 2023, the F-35 was flown less than the older F-15E […]
By: Walt Amses Date: October 9, 2023 Walt Amses comments on the modern society’s dwindling attention span, exacerbated by the influx of information. Despite the distractions, he underscores a major but underreported incident: the U.S. military’s F-35 aircraft loss. After a malfunction, the pilot ejected over a suburban area and astonishingly contacted 911 instead of […]
By: JAMES POLLARD and TARA COPP, Associated Press Date: September 19, 2023 In North Charleston, South Carolina, a malfunction prompted the pilot of a $100 million F-35 stealth fighter jet to eject, leading him to parachute safely into a residential backyard. The plane then crashed in a forested area approximately 60 miles distant. The downed […]