A Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fifth generation fighter crashed today shortly after take-off in New Mexico, USA.
The plane's registration number and exact model have not yet been confirmed, but it appears to be a Marine F-35B, the version capable of landing and taking off vertically.
The plane had just taken off from runway 21 at Albuquerque Airport when the pilot discovered a problem and had to eject. The fighter flew along the ground until it crashed into a mountain near the highway, exploded and started a fire.
No one was injured and the fire has already been brought under control by local authorities. The pilot has already been rescued and taken to hospital, and initial reports indicate that his condition is good and stable, and he only suffered minor injuries. Neither the US Department of Defense nor the three armed forces that operate the F-35 (Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy) have commented yet.
🇺🇸 Another angle of the F-35 that crashed in Albuquerque, New Mexico. https://t.co/8OEcAEfaek pic.twitter.com/44Grnn4Gcm
— DD Geopolitics (@DD_Geopolitics) May 28, 2024
An F-35 fighter jet crashed today shortly after takeoff in Albuquerque, New Mexico. pic.twitter.com/s1aE0KcNHw
– Today in the military world (@hoje_no) May 28, 2024
