This week, the US Navy reported its first F35C seaplane crash. The plane crashed onto the deck of USS Carl Vinson, an air carrier. While trying to land, the jet crashed. Seven crew members sustained injuries in the crash.
The incident happened while the aircraft was traveling in the South China Sea. The F35C crashed in a routine flight operation. It was recovered by a remotely operated vehicle called the CURV-21.
CURV-21 attached specializedrigging to the plane. It also attached lift lines. CURV-21 assisted in salvaging the aircraft from deep below the ocean. It has recovered aircraft in the past from very deep waters.
Engineers are now preparing for the recovery of the F35C. The US Navy has hired Singapore-based Ultra Deep Solutions to do the job. The entire salvage operation should take 120 days depending upon the depth. There are no plans to move the aircraft to a specific location, but it's possible that China will monitor the operation.
According to Navy reports, the aircraft was discovered at depths of around 12,400 feet. The aircraft sustained damage to its rear fuselage. Also, the S9 skin had been punctured. The plane's tail was also engulfed in fire. The pilot was ejected safely. Although there are no further details, it is possible that the pilot's aircraft was microburst from the deck.
The F35C was seen approaching the carrier, before it crashed. A viral video has been circulated on social media. This footage was taken by an employee of the carrier. The video was then viral on Chinese and international social media. But, the video's validity was questioned.
According to a senior officer onboard the carrier, the video was circulated in a smoke-pit. He said that the Capt. Scott Miller, had told his crew to remove the video.
It is not clear if the video was an official document, or a rumor. The video appears to have been leaked by several Navy personnel, including five officers. The video may also have been leaked without proper clearance, according to some reports.
The F35C is the best stealth fighter in the world. It is a member US Navy’s "Argonauts" fleet and belongs Strike Fighter Squadron 147. It is also the Navy's newest aircraft. The aircraft can fly for only about 12 days a year, but it's expected to be able to fly for longer. It's also been claimed that the aircraft could have suffered power degradation.
The Navy has also spent the last month preparing for the recovery of the F35C. The Navy has also acquired specialized salvage equipment. The salvage operation is likely to take about 10 to 15 days to reach the crash site, depending on the depth.
There is much the Navy can learn from the crash. The aircraft was assigned as part of the Strike Fighter Squadron 147. It was the first US Marine Corps unit that deployed with a F-35C aboard an aircraft carrier. This was the first occasion that an aircraft US Navy carrier-based crashed while being deployed offshore.