The British carrier-based aviation has lost one of the recently acquired F-35B fighters. Yesterday, November 17, the BBC news agency reported that the plane crashed into the sea immediately after takeoff from the deck of the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth.
The incident occurred in the international waters of the Mediterranean Sea. The pilot was performing a planned operation, but shortly after takeoff, the fighter fell into the water. The pilot himself was not injured and soon returned to the deck of the aircraft carrier. Despite the accident, the HMS Queen Elizabeth air wing, consisting of eight British F—35B fighters (after the accident - seven) and ten US Marine Corps aircraft, continues its work. Over the past six months, these machines have made about 2,000 successful takeoffs and landings from the deck of an aircraft carrier.
F-35B takeoff from the deck of HMS Queen Elizabeth
Image source: royalnavy.mod.uk
According to British Defense Minister Benjamin Wallace, the plane will try to lift from the seabed. Since external interference is excluded, the investigation of the accident will focus on identifying technical malfunctions or human error.
The F-35B Lightning II is one of three modifications of the latest F-35 fighter-bomber. The key feature of the F-35B is the possibility of vertical takeoff and landing, which allows these aircraft to be used on helicopter carriers and universal landing craft with a flight deck.
