Following the mysterious disappearance of an F-35 fighter jet in the skies over South Carolina, authorities have launched an investigation into the incident. The pilot, who was forced to eject from the aircraft, was later found in stable condition and taken to a local medical facility.

The incident occurred near Charleston, and the fighter jet went missing after the pilot’s ejection. An extensive search involving multiple agencies from both the ground and air was conducted, leading to the discovery of the jet’s debris field, located approximately two hours northeast of Joint Base Charleston.

The F-35B Lightning II jet, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, is renowned as “the most lethal, survivable, and connected fighter jet in the world.” It comes with a significant price tag, costing approximately $100 million per aircraft. The entire F-35 program, over the plane’s lifetime, is projected to cost a staggering $1.7 trillion.

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The exact cause that prompted the pilot to eject from the aircraft on Sunday remains unclear. The investigation into the mishap will likely delve into the circumstances leading up to the ejection and the subsequent disappearance of the fighter jet.

The disappearance of the F-35 fighter jet in South Carolina has raised numerous questions and concerns. Experts believe that when the pilot ejected, the aircraft’s transponder may have been damaged, making it impossible for the military to track its location. While it’s theoretically possible for the plane to continue flying after the ejection, experts consider it “extremely unlikely” due to the damage it would have sustained from the ejection seat and the significant change in aerodynamics after the canopy is gone.

The missing jet, an FB-35B Lightning II, belonged to the Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501, responsible for training pilots. The pilot who ejected was taken to the hospital and was reported to be in stable condition, while another F-35 flying alongside it returned safely to the base.

The incident led to criticism and ridicule online, with some questioning how a state-of-the-art fighter jet could be lost without a tracking device. The aircraft, a stealth jet designed to operate undetected by enemy radar, may have had its crash location determined by its pre-planned flight waypoints and fuel calculations.

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The US Marine Corps announced a two-day pause in air operations this week to discuss aviation safety matters and best practices. This incident marks the third “Class-A mishap” in the past six weeks for the Marine Corps, a category of incident that causes more than $2.5 million in damage. Previous incidents include a fatal accident involving an Osprey tilt-rotor plane and a jet crash during a training exercise.

In 2018, the entire fleet of F-35 jets was temporarily grounded by the US military after a crash in South Carolina. The investigation into the recent disappearance of the F-35 fighter jet will likely delve into the causes and contributing factors to prevent such incidents in the future.