Pilot ejects safely as jet crashes in second incident involving F-35 this year

A US Navy F-35C fighter jet has crashed near Naval Air Station Lemoore in California, with the pilot ejecting safely.

The crash happened around 18:30 local time in flat, open farmland about 40 miles southwest of Fresno. Local emergency services and Cal Fire responded to the scene.

The aircraft belonged to Strike Fighter Squadron VFA-125, known as the Rough Raiders, which trains US Navy pilots and aircrew on the carrier-based F-35C variant.

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The US Navy said the cause of the crash was under investigation.

Footage broadcast by local outlet KFSN showed a fire and thick black smoke rising from the crash site.

Second F-35 incident in 2025

This marks the second crash involving an F-35 this year.

In January, a US Air Force F-35A went down during a training mission in Alaska - the pilot survived after ejecting.

The F-35 is a fifth-generation stealth fighter developed by Lockheed Martin and used by multiple US military services and partner nations.

The F-35C is designed for Navy carrier operations, with larger wings and reinforced landing gear, compared to the Air Force's F-35A and the US Marine Corps' short take-off/vertical landing F-35B.

The F-35 programme has faced scrutiny in recent years over aircraft availability and maintenance challenges.

A January, a Pentagon report found that all variants were still falling short of their targets for reliability and readiness.

F-35 issues in US echo delays in UK's £71bn programme

The UK flies the F-35B variant from Royal Navy aircraft carriers and RAF bases, with 37 jets currently in service out of a planned 138.

The jets are expected to remain in service until 2069 at a £71bn whole-life cost, according to National Audit Office estimates.

Although tailored for UK use, the F-35 is largely a US-led programme.

Around 15% of each aircraft is made in Britain, generating £22bn in contracts for UK firms.

But the UK's F-35 programme has also faced delays and setbacks.

The NAO said the capability delivered so far represents a "disappointing return" on the £11bn spent to date.

It cited aircraft availability problems, pilot shortages and engineering gaps as key challenges.

Flying hours have fallen below requirements and mission readiness rates remain well below Ministry of Defence targets.

The UK still plans to field two full squadrons by the end of 2025, and has also committed to buying 12 F-35A jets as part of Nato's nuclear-sharing mission.