F-35 fighter jet crashes at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska after pilot ejects
Officials said an F-35 fighter jet crashed in Alaska on Tuesday after the pilot managed to safely eject from the aircraft – the latest mishap involving the U.S. military's most expensive weapon system.
The crash occurred just before 1 p.m. local time within the fence line of Eielson Air Force Base, about 25 miles southeast of Fairbanks, Alaska, according to 354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs. Officials said the pilot was safe and in stable condition at a local hospital.
The incident was captured in a dramatic video that shows the jet falling out of the sky before it smashes into the ground, exploding on impact and sending a plume of smoke into the air.
It's unclear what led to the crash. Colonel Paul Townsend, commander of the 354th Fighter Wing, said at a news conference on Tuesday that the pilot experienced an "in-flight malfunction." The jet was landing after a training exercise when the malfunction occurred, Townsend said.
“Our people are our most important resource, and we are committed in ensuring their safety and security,” Townsend said. “I can assure you the United States Air Force will conduct a thorough investigation into this incident to minimize the chances of such occurrences from happening again.”
Asked about whether the crash harms the reputation of the F-35, Townsend said he remains "confident" in the jet's capabilities. "We will continue to look at the investigation and do our best to uncover any of the things that might have contributed to the incident. But, right now, I can stand and say that I have full faith in the capabilities of the F-35A," he said.
Lockheed Martin, the manufacturer of the F-35, said in a statement it was aware of the incident. "Safety is our priority, and we are standing by to support the United States Air Force as needed," the defense contractor said.
It added, "The F-35 is the most advanced, survivable and connected fighter aircraft in the world, a vital deterrent and the cornerstone of joint all-domain operations."
Tuesday's crash is the latest mishap involving the F-35. Last May, a pilot was seriously injured after he ejected from an F-35 before the fighter jet crashed near the airfield at Albuquerque International Sunport. When the aircraft went down, it was headed from Fort Worth, Texas, to Edwards Air Force Base in California, and had stopped at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico to refuel.
A year earlier, a jet flew unmanned into a field in South Carolina after the pilot ejected and parachuted into a backyard in Charleston.
The F-35 is the U.S. military's costliest weapons program. The U.S. Department of Defense plans to spend over $2 trillion to buy, operate and maintain F-35s through 2088, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office.
Since the jets were first unveiled in 2006, they have been plagued by rising costs, manufacturing delays and, more recently, crashes. President Donald Trump and Elon Musk ‒ who Trump tapped to co-lead the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency ‒ have both previously criticized the project.
"The F-35 design was broken at the requirements level, because it was required to be too many things to too many people. This made it an expensive & complex jack of all trades, master of none," Musk said in a post on X in November. "Success was never in the set of possible outcomes. And manned fighter jets are obsolete in the age of drones anyway. Will just get pilots killed."
There are an estimated 630 F-35s across the military, according to the Government Accountability Office. The Department of Defense plans to buy about 1,800 more by the mid-2040s.