The F-35 fighter jet that crashed into the Mediterranean on take-off from Britain’s £3billion aircraft carrier has been found.
The £100million aircraft plunged into the sea earlier this month while conducting routine flying operations in the region.
The plane accelerated along the flight deck of HMS Queen Elizabeth, and the pilot was forced to eject when it reached the top.
It triggered an intense underwater race to recover the F-35B stealth aircraft’s remains and seal the spot a mile under the surface, before Russian divers could reach it first.
The cause of the crash is unknown. Investigators believe that the plane crashed into the Mediterranean after taking off, because it was not properly covered by rain.
Officials suspect that the rain cover was inhaled into the engine of the stealth plane as it took off from HMS Queen Elizabeth’s flight deck.
Sir Stephen Lovegrove the National Security Advisor, stated to MPs that they will adopt a prudent approach in recovering it as Moscow is expected to watch. The reason for the accident was not revealed by him.
Yesterday, the official informed the Commons Defence Committee that the pilot had been safely recovered and was still under medical check. It is our hope that he will be fine. I would not be able to give any details about the cause of the accident.
“The flight data recorder, as well as the wreckage, are essential for an effective investigation into the cause of the crash. We would love to see the plane recovered quickly and are working with our allies in that effort. The plane is still not up.
“We know of Russian submarine capabilities and we are happy to recognize them as state-of-the art.
The F-35’s technology remains confidential, and we take the precautionary measures necessary to do so. These security issues are at the forefront of our minds.
“My understanding is, that experts know the exact location of the aircraft.”
Sir Stephen also was questioned by the Foreign Secretary about rising fears of a Russian invasion in Ukraine, as tensions between eastern Europe and Russia simmer. Yesterday, the Head of MI6 and the Foreign Secretary warned that the Kremlin should not take any actions against Kiev it wouldn’t regret.
Sir Stephen said, “I would advise anyone from Russia to consider this: There is never going be a good moment to intrude into Ukraine.”
“They should not mistakenly interpret a withdrawal form Afghanistan as an inability of Western allies, to support sovereign democracies wherever they may be in the globe but especially on mainland Europe.
“I know that sometimes Russian actions seem driven by an opportunistic kind of motivation. I would advise them not to get into that trap now. The committee as well as my Russian counterpart can rest assured that much more will happen than mere condemnation.
This was Britain’s first F-35B loss and it is also the first accident for HMS Queen Elizabeth (Britain’s largest aircraft carrier).
The F-35B’s quality is being questioned. Britain has currently 24 of them. The UK is set to buy 138 of the jets from US aviation giant Lockheed Martin for £9.1billion in the coming years, with 48 of those expected to be delivered by 2025.
The technology aboard the US-designed aircraft, including top secret radar and sensors, is hugely sensitive as it allows the F-35 to fly ‘unseen’ in hostile territory at supersonic speeds – meaning it would be of interest to rivals such as Russian.
It is possible that China knows everything there is about the jet because of its sophisticated spying.
He sustained minor injuries and was able to be ejected. His parachute is visible floating toward the sea. The pilot was swiftly recovered and the jet went underwater, at an approximate depth of over a mile. This was the eighth British F-35 on board HMS Queen Elizabeth. The UK currently has 24 F-35s, and this incident was their first serious involvement.
The F-35 is a cutting-edge warplane with stealth and intelligence-gathering capabilities which can fly at supersonic speeds without being detected on radar.
Recent reports have revealed that Russia was closely watching HMS Queen Elizabeth, with an increase in plane activity near her. Following her maiden journey around the globe, the ship of 65,000 tons is now returning home to Britain.
The F-35B Lightning, file image), crashed into the ocean shortly after it took off for a routine exercise from HMS Queen Elizabeth (royal navy’s flagship aircraft carrier). A rescue team was then sent to the area to find the pilot.
After plunging into international water, the accident triggered a race to rescue the next-generation plane from the sea bed, before foreign powers could access it, especially Russia. Above: HMS Queen Elizabeth file image
New footage has emerged which appears to show the moment a £100m fighter jet crashes into the Mediterranean during an operation onboard the HMS Queen Elizabeth on November 17
An RAF pilot was forced to eject over the Mediterranean, sending his £100million stealth jet crashing into the sea
F35s have the ability to hover when they land so you will need a smaller flightdeck. A F-35B fighter aircraft prepares to take off from HMS Queen Elizabeth, in the Arabian Sea. It was photographed on the flight deck at HMS Queen Elizabeth on October 21st.
According to Sun sources, the pilot realized the problem and attempted to cancel take-off. However, he was unable stop the aircraft before it reached the end of its runway.
According to them, naval personnel realized the problem ‘almost immediately’ due to strict rules regarding engine blanks and covers being removed before flight.
Sky News was told by Commander Tom Sharpe (a former Royal Navy officer) that due to how close the aircraft came to the bow and the speed of launch the ship, there is high likelihood it will hit the bow of the vessel (under the waterline).
‘Warship steel is not that thick so, even despite the weight discrepancy between the two, I would want the compartments near the bow checked immediately… I would then want the hull dived on at the first opportunity, just to be sure.’
UK worked alongside the US to retrieve the wreckage that is thought to be over a mile under the surface.
It is believed that divers, mini submarines, and inflatable bags will be involved in the operation. These could possibly lift the aircraft to the Mediterranean surface.
The incident is the first mishap for the RAF’s F-35B fleet and for the £3billion aircraft carrier which left the UK seven months ago.
This technology, which includes top-secret radar and sensors from the US, allows F-35 to fly at supersonic speeds in hostile territories.
The RAF describes the Lightning as a fifth-generation combat aircraft that can conduct air-to-surface and electronic strikes.
An array of sensors allows the aircraft to fly undetected within enemy airspace.
It was believed that there were not just eight F-35s from Britain aboard HMS Queen Elizabeth, but also 10 US-made aircraft.
Their take-offs, landings were flawless. The F-35Bs of the UK are located at RAF Marham, Norfolk (the Dambusters’) when they’re not onboard the carrier.
According to the Ministry of Defence, they previously stated: “We are aware of a viral video. We are not able to speculate on cause…
“Recovery efforts remain ongoing, and the Defence Accident Investigation Branch shall report their preliminary findings to you in due course.”
F-35: Faulty planes that served HMS Elizabeth
The delivery of the RAF’s new, US-built F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter in July 2021 marked a rare moment of celebration in what has been a troubled project.
Although the ‘fifth-generation’ fighter plane is considered to be the most costly weapon system in the world, its costs are now at an astonishing $406 billion.
After President Donald Trump had criticized the project, Lockheed-Martin offered to limit costs and tweeted his support for another aircraft.
Britain is currently embarked on a £9.1billion programme to purchase 48 of the F-35s, from American aviation giant Lockheed Martin, by 2025.
On June 6, 2018, one of four F-35B Lightning II planes arrives at RAF Marham, Norfolk.
America lured NATO and its other allies to contribute towards the production costs of the aircraft. 15 percent of each plane is composed of British parts, and some jets will also be made in Italy.
However, the aircraft have experienced a number of issues that have caused costs to soar.
The technical system that underpins the next generation of warplanes may be flawed and cause them to fail.
The true cost of the British planes delivered this year is estimated to be over £150million each to cover ‘extras’ such as software upgrades and spare parts.
The software of the aircraft’s computer system could also be at risk from cyber attacks. This cannot be verified independently by the UK.
Also, weak connectivity on HMS Queen Elizabeth (the Royal Navy’s main aircraft carrier) is limiting the capabilities of the jet.
The problems are not helped by the department responsible for the computer networks essential to the aircraft’s operation needs to find savings of £400 million this year.
A number of reports about the problems and costs led to the Defence Select Committee initiating an inquiry.
It warned the Ministry of Defence about keeping the Parliament and public unaware of the cost.
The MoD has so far refused to provide the estimated cost to the UK of buying the F-35, beyond referring to a National Audit Office which used the £9.1billion figure.
MPs declared that it is unacceptable for MoD to withhold information to parliament and public about the estimated cost of the entire programme.
While the F-35’s cost has always been the main focus, embarrassing stories of US operational problems have been reported.
The cutting-edge plane lost in a 2015 mock air battle to an F-16 of a different generation, which was built in the 1970s.
The Pentagon found 276 faults in the combat system of jet fighters during 2020 tests.
These included excessive vibrations from the 25mm cannon and issues with the aircraft’s virtual reality helmet.
These issues included overheating, premature wear in vertical tails components and vulnerability to fire.
The US Air Force had to temporarily ground a number of F-35 stealth fighters as it looked into an oxygen supply problem.
The Marine Corps, who also operate the same F-35B model the UK has purchased, was forced to ground its planes after flaws were found in the computer system.