The US Navy reported an earlier F35C-related crash at sea this week. The plane had crashed into the deck of an aircraft carrier, USS Carl Vinson. The jet had crashed while attempting to make a landing. The crash injured seven crew members.
The incident occurred while the carrier was operating 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.
The CURV-21 attached specialized rigging to the plane. The CURV-21 also attached lift lines to it. CURV-21 assisted in salvaging the aircraft from deep below the ocean. It has successfully recovered aircraft from very deep waters in the past.
Engineers are currently making preparations for recovering the F35C. Ultra Deep Solutions, which is based in Singapore, was contracted by the US Navy. The process will take 120 days, depending upon the depth. It is unlikely that the aircraft will be moved to a certain location. China could however monitor the operation.
The Navy reported that the aircraft had been recovered from an approximate depth of 12,400 feet. The aircraft's rear fuselage was damaged and its S9 skin punctured. The fire also caused the plane's tail to catch on fire. The pilot was safely evacuated. It is possible that the pilot's plane was microburst of the deck, although there aren't any details.
Social media has circulated a video that showed the F35C approaching a carrier before it crashed. This footage was apparently recorded by a crew member. This video became viral via social media in China and abroad. There was controversy about the validity of this video.
The senior chief of the carrier stated that the video was being circulated in a smoke pit. The senior yeoman (a Capt. Scott Miller had instructed his crew to delete the video.
It is unclear if the video was an official record or just a rumor. It seems that the video was distributed by five officers and a few Navy personnel. It is also possible that the video was not properly cleared before it was released.
The F35C stealth fighter is the most advanced in the world. It is a member US Navy’s "Argonauts" fleet and belongs Strike Fighter Squadron 147. It's also the newest jet in the Navy's fleet. It can fly for about 12 days each year, but is expected to fly for much longer. It's also been claimed that the aircraft could have suffered power degradation.
The Navy has spent the last month preparing the F35C for recovery. It also obtained specialized salvage equipment. It is expected that the salvage operation will take between 10 and 15 days 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. It was the first time that a US Navy-based aircraft had crashed while on an overseas deployment mission.