According to a report on the website of the U.S. Naval Association (USNI) on January 25, a spokesman for the U.S. Navy's Seventh Fleet confirmed that the F-35C carrier-based aircraft that had a "landing accident" on the "Carl Vinson" aircraft carrier on January 24 confirmed that it had crashed into the South China Sea, and the accident also had a certain impact on the deck of the "Carl Vinson" aircraft carrier.
However, the spokesman also said that the impact of the accident on the deck of the "Carl Vinson" is superficial, all flight operation equipment can operate normally, and the "Carl Vinson" aircraft carrier has resumed operations in the South China Sea.
The U.S. Naval Security Center called the crash the carl's fifth Class A aviation accident since Nov. 22, 2021. Nor did a spokesman for the U.S. Seventh Fleet immediately respond to questions about whether it intended to salvage the fighter.
An F-35C fighter belonging to the VFA-147 Squadron aboard the USS Carl Vinson landed Image source: U.S. Navy
The U.S. Navy confirmed on January 24, local time, that an F-35C carrier-based aircraft had a "landing accident" when it landed on the deck of the "Carl Vinson" (CVN-70) on the 24th, causing 7 aircraft carrier crew members to be injured, and the pilot of the F-35C "safely ejected". This is the first time the U.S. Navy's F-35C fleet has had a landing accident during a maritime deployment mission. The aircraft was part of the 147th Carrier-Based Attack Fighter Squadron (VFA-147) of the 2nd Carrier-Based Air Wing (CVW2) aboard the aircraft carrier CARL Vinson.
This is also not the first time that the F-35 series fighter jets have crashed into the sea, and the British Ministry of Defence confirmed last November that an F-35B carrier-based fighter on the British aircraft carrier "Queen Elizabeth" crashed in the Mediterranean Sea, and the pilot ejected to escape. For the cause of the accident, the British media disclosed that before taking off, the F-35B's intake shield was forgotten by the ground staff to take off, resulting in the fighter not being able to take off at a sufficient speed and falling into the sea, but this news was not confirmed by the British Ministry of Defense. After the F-35B crash, it took the Royal Navy three weeks to salvage the wrecked plane with the help of the U.S. Navy.
However, not all F-35s have been recovered, and on April 9, 2019, a Japanese F35A crashed into the sea 135 kilometers east of Misawa City, Aomori Prefecture. Due to the 1500-meter depth in the water area of the accident, the plane was not recovered afterwards.
At present, the U.S. Navy's two aircraft carrier strike groups are still "showing muscles" in the South China Sea, USNI previously reported that on the 24th, the U.S. Navy "Carl Vinson" aircraft carrier and "Lincoln" aircraft carrier into the South China Sea, the U.S. Navy said in a press release that aircraft carrier training will be carried out in international waters in accordance with international law, and the training content will include "joint operations, strengthening maritime communication operations, anti-submarine operations, air combat exercises, maritime replenishment, aircraft carrier cross-deck flight and maritime interception operations." To improve the comprehensive combat capability and combat readiness of the two aircraft carriers at sea. ”
USS Carl Vinson and USS Lincoln in Philippine waters on January 22 Source: USNI
On January 24, Taiwan's defense department said that 13 PLA military aircraft entered Taiwan's so-called "southwest airspace" on the same day, of which for the first time appeared the PLA's new electric fighter J-16D (J-16D). Prior to this, on January 23, the Taiwan military detected that a total of 39 fighters of our army had entered Taiwan's "southwest airspace."
In view of the exercises conducted by foreign countries in the South China Sea, Wu Qian, spokesman for the Ministry of Mainland Defense, previously said that we should pay close attention to and be highly vigilant about the movements of the US military. For some time now, the United States and some other countries outside the region have frequently carried out military activities in the South China Sea to strengthen their military presence, which is not conducive to security and stability in the South China Sea. Facts have repeatedly proved that the US side is the biggest driver of militarization in the South China Sea and the troublemaker of regional peace and stability. Chinese the People's Liberation Army has always maintained a high degree of vigilance, resolutely defended national sovereignty, security and development interests, and resolutely safeguarded regional peace, stability and prosperity.
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