Lost & Found F-35 Jet Exposes Loopholes in the most Advance US Defense System

Why an F-35 stealth fighter jet went missing for more than 24 hours before its wreckage was discovered in rural South Carolina is one of several questions that military investigators are dealing with.

Investigators expect to spend months piecing together a timeline of events that began Sunday afternoon to determine why the pilot ejected and why the jet appeared to have continued flying unnoticed as scrutiny of the sophisticated warplane, which also had a pilot eject last year during a failed landing in Texas, grows.

Jeremy Huggins, a spokesman for Joint Base Charleston, stated he did not know whether the jet had been placed in 'autopilot' when the pilot bailed from the aircraft and that they were still looking into the situation.

The internet erupted with memes like "Dude, where's my F-35?" and expressions of shock that an aircraft with stealth mode capabilities could, in fact, vanish so discreetly when Joint Base Charleston in South Carolina appealed for the public's assistance in finding the fighter.

"How in the hell do you lose an F-35?" Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C.,?asked in a social media?post. "How is there not a tracking device and we're asking the public to what, find a jet and turn it in?"

Preliminary Info

On Sunday in the late afternoon, the Marine Corps launched the Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II jet, which has been in service since 2015. According to The Post and Courier, Capt. Joe Leitner, a representative for the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, told reporters that it was one of two aircraft taking part in a normal training flight.

One of the pilots bailed just before 2:00 p.m. and parachuted into a Charleston property, according to two defense officials. Unidentified pilot was transported to a hospital in good health.

A "pilot ejected safely" following an afternoon "mishap" involving an F-35, Joint Base Charleston announced on social media at 5 p.m. Authorities stated that they were concentrating on two lakes to the north of the base.

Officials advised: "If you have any information regarding the location of the F-35, kindly contact our Base Defense Operations Center."

After a ferocious search for the jet, it wasn't until around 6:30 p.m. on Monday that the base revealed that police had discovered a debris field in Williamsburg County, a remote area approximately two hours northeast of the base.

No additional damage or injuries were recorded after the pilot was released from the hospital early on Monday, according to defense officials.

Why did the Pilot Eject?

Although military officials have not yet provided an explanation for the pilot's choice to parachute out of the aircraft, experts and former F-35 pilots have said that such a decision would not be taken lightly.

"The ejection is a last-ditch decision," declared David Berke, who from 2012 to 2014 was the commanding commander of the Marine Corps' first F-35 squadron in South Carolina.

"Something catastrophic has happened, and the risk to the aircraft and the environment is so great that ejection will save the pilot's life."

According to Dan Grazier, a senior defense policy fellow at the Project on Government Oversight, a non-profit federal watchdog, the F-35B is distinct from earlier variants.

"The F-35B has an auto-eject function," he declared. "I wonder if it ejected him unintentionally."

The watchdog group claimed in a 2020 study that by choosing to abandon the aircraft, it will eventually crash, which would be expensive given that this particular type costs roughly $140 million.

Grazier stated, "I don't fault a pilot for bailing out of an aircraft if that's the right course of action," adding that the military will want to know if it was done due to a technical or software malfunction, pilot error, or something else.

Experts say it might have been worse, despite everything.

"We are so fortunate that both the pilot was OK, and nobody on the ground was hurt," said Berke, who is currently chief development officer at the leadership development firm Echelon Front. "In that sense, this is a good news story."

What caused the jet to lose contact?

Transponders aboard F-35s make it possible to track the aircraft. The transponder did not appear to be functioning, but military officials initially claimed they were unsure of why.

According to J.J. Gertler, a senior analyst at the defense consulting firm Teal Group, the pilot's ejection seat's rocket engines may have been so potent that they "cooked the electronics, the wires, and cut off power to the transponder, among other things" in the cockpit.

He said that because it was flying alongside a lead F-35, which would have had its transponder on, the transponder may not have been turned on at all. In order to prevent additional noise from distracting the approach controller, the second jet would be turned off.

That is just customary practice, Berke stated.

Why did the plane continue to fly?

Military officials will also be curious as to how the plane avoided crashing sooner.

If the airplane was left in autopilot and there were no engine issues to cause it to crash, according to Berke, it might be possible for it to continue coasting.

He remarked, "It's totally plausible if the jet's engine is working well and it was in a stable position when the pilot ejected."

Grounding of Marine Corps F-35 Jets

On Monday and Tuesday, all Marine Corps aircraft domestically and abroad were grounded so that units may "discuss aviation safety matters and best practices," according to the Pentagon.

According to Grazier, the high-profile occurrence called for a thorough inquiry to ascertain if it was caused by a straightforward explanation or indicated a deeper systemic issue.

A preliminary crash report, according to him, normally takes approximately 90 days, but a comprehensive report can take an additional year.

Analysis

Analyzing all statements from military officials and experts, some glaring concerns and questions about the most advanced U.S. defense system in service and the capabilities and vulnerabilities of the F-35 jet come to light. Here are some of the notable loopholes and vulnerabilities:

1. Undetected Flying Duration: The F-35 went missing for over 24 hours. For a jet of such caliber, which is equipped with some of the most sophisticated technologies, this raises concerns about tracking capabilities.
2. Conflicting Reports: There are conflicting reports about whether the jet had been left on autopilot when the pilot ejected, which highlights possible communication issues or lack of immediate clarity in crisis scenarios.
3. Public Assistance: The fact that Joint Base Charleston had to ask the public for help to locate a stealth jet shows a concerning gap in tracking and locating capabilities.
4. Lack of Tracking: Rep. Nancy Mace's comment underscores the apparent absence of an effective tracking mechanism for the jet. It's surprising that a $140 million jet might not have a reliable and tamper-proof tracking device.
5. Transponder Issues: The report mentions that F-35s are equipped with transponders for tracking, but for some reason, this jet's transponder was not functioning, and there's speculation on why. This is a vulnerability if ejection processes can disable such a vital piece of equipment or if protocols (like turning off secondary transponders during formation flights) can lead to blind spots in tracking.
6. Auto-Ejection: The mention that the F-35B has an "auto-eject function" could imply a risk. If it can eject a pilot involuntarily under certain circumstances, it needs to be fail-proof to prevent unintended ejections.
7. Decision to Eject: While the pilot's safety is paramount, the decision-making process leading to an ejection in this case (whether it was a result of mechanical/software failures, pilot error, or other factors) is critical to understand.
8. Aircraft's Continued Flight: The aircraft continued flying after the pilot ejected, implying that it may not have had a critical system failure. If an F-35 can keep flying after pilot ejection and remain undetected, there are potential vulnerabilities both in jet design and defense detection capabilities.
9. Grounding of All Marine Corps Aircraft: The Pentagon's decision to ground all Marine Corps aircraft, both domestic and international, signifies the gravity of the situation and hints at a broader concern that needs addressing.
10. Time for Investigation: The article notes that a preliminary report might take up to 90 days, with a full report taking potentially a year. This long timeline for understanding and addressing an incident might reveal a somewhat slow response mechanism for addressing serious vulnerabilities or errors.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this incident and the subsequent coverage expose several potential vulnerabilities in the defense system, particularly concerning tracking, communication, aircraft design, and response mechanisms.