F-35 crashes near California naval air base, pilot lands safely
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A US Navy F-35 fighter jet crashes near NAS Lemoore in California; the pilot ejected safely, with no injuries reported.
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US Air Force fighter F-35 performs aerobatic maneuvers on the second day of the Aero India 2023 at Yelahanka air base in India, Tuesday February 2023. (AP)
A fighter jet pilot managed to eject safely before the aircraft crashed near a major naval installation in California’s Central Valley, according to military officials on Wednesday.
The incident occurred close to Naval Air Station (NAS) Lemoore, roughly 37 miles south of Fresno. In a statement, the base confirmed that the F-35 fighter jet went down at approximately 6:30 p.m. in a field near the intersection of West Cadillac and South Dickinson avenues.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation. NAS Lemoore noted that no other individuals were harmed in the incident.
The impact of the crash ignited a grass fire, which burned close to a dozen acres before being contained, according to Cal Fire.
NAS Lemoore said the downed aircraft was assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron 125, also known as the "Rough Raiders", a naval training unit responsible for preparing pilots to operate F-35 jets.
Earlier F‑35 incident in Alaska raises broader safety concerns
The California crash follows another F-35 incident earlier this year in Alaska. On January 28, an F‑35A fighter jet crashed during a training exercise at Eielson Air Force Base after the pilot reported an in‑flight emergency. The pilot ejected safely and was later transported to Bassett Army Hospital for a precautionary evaluation. The aircraft sustained extensive damage, prompting the US Air Force to open an investigation focused on improving flight safety protocols.
With two crashes in 2025 alone, concerns are mounting about the operational reliability of the F‑35 Lightning II platform, particularly given its cost and complexity.
The F‑35 program has been plagued by a series of technical challenges in recent years, with incidents reported in Australia, South Carolina, Utah, and New Mexico. These crashes have been linked to various malfunctions, including electrical system failures, glitches in helmet-mounted displays, navigational system errors, and flight control anomalies that misread flight data.
Though investigations into each crash have pointed to different causes, recurring technical flaws have raised alarms among defense analysts and partner nations. Critics argue that these persistent problems are undermining trust in a jet once heralded as the most advanced stealth fighter in the world.
