Source: World Wide Web
The British Ministry of Defense confirmed on the 17th that an F-35B carrier-based fighter on the British aircraft carrier "Queen Elizabeth" crashed in the Mediterranean Sea, and the pilot catapulted to escape. It is not appropriate to comment further at this time. It is reported that the British army currently has only 21 F-35Bs, and the crash can be described as a heavy loss. This is also the third time that the fighter has crashed so far.
On August 14, 2021, a British F-35B fighter jet ready to take off from the aircraft carrier Queen Elizabeth
Schematic diagram of the location of the British F-35B falling into the sea made by foreign netizens
According to the U.S. Naval Institute (USNI) website reported on November 17, the British Department of Defense issued a statement: "This morning, a British F-35B pilot from the British Royal Navy's aircraft carrier "Queen Elizabeth" (R08) ejected during a routine flight in the middle sea", "This pilot has returned safely to the ship, the investigation has been launched, and it is not appropriate to comment further on this at this time." ”
A spokesman for the Uk Ministry of Defence said the crash occurred at around 10am London time on the same day and did not involve other vessels or aircraft. As of Wednesday (17th) morning, other British F-35 fighters of other models are still flying.
F-35B manufacturer Lockheed Martin of the United States said it was "ready to support the UK Ministry of Defence as needed." An investigation is ongoing and further information about the incident will be released in due course. ”
There is currently a hybrid carrier-based aircraft wing deployed on the HMS Queen Elizabeth, which includes 10 Squadrons of U.S. Marine Corps VMFA-211 attack fighters and eight F-35B fighters of THE RAF's 617th Squadron. The British Ministry of Defence has not confirmed which service the crashed F-35 pilot belongs to, and both RAF and Royal Navy pilots are flying their own F-35 fighter jets.
To date, the British have received 21 F-35Bs. These fighter jets will form the nucleus of the Royal Navy's two new carrier-based aircraft wing.
It is reported that this is the third time that the F-35B fighter jet has crashed so far. The two earlier crashes were from the U.S. Marine Corps: one crashed in a collision with an aerial tanker, and the other crashed due to a fuel line failure.
The Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier battle group left the UK for its first deployment on 22 May this year and is currently in the final stages of its return journey. Looking back on the earlier trip, there have been many dramatic incidents such as escort destroyers leaving the formation due to major failures, the outbreak of the new crown epidemic, and the prosecution and trial of sailors fighting in Guam. The quality of the British army can also be seen from this.