In late January 2022, a photo was leaked showing a crashed F-35 sinking
into the South China Sea waters. The image immediately raised a lot of speculation,
as it showed debris surrounding the vehicle and it had no canopy. Still, the Navy kept quiet.
An 18-second video then surfaced depicting the moments leading to the crash.
As the F-35 approaches a carrier, a loud noise can be heard, and the aircraft loses control.
The subsequent impact happens off-camera, while smoke and debris fill the screen.
It took the Navy some time to admit that the images were authentic
and that the incident had happened on the USS Carl Vinson carrier,
marking the fifth major disturbance in two months while the ship had been on patrol in the area.
Still, the US has only one thing in mind:
retrieving the invaluable aircraft before the Chinese lay hands on it…
Unintentional
In August of 2021, the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson was deployed with F-35
Lightning IIs on board for the first time. But by late January of 2022, the carrier had already
suffered five serious incidents, crowned by the loss of one of her valuable fighters.
Somewhere in the South China Sea, Vinson was carrying out exercises
with the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group when an F-35C crashed-landed on her deck.
The accident happened during normal routine operations on January 24.
Three days later, a photograph showing the jet floating in the water was leaked on social media.
The image shows that the aircraft was missing its canopy and ejection seat,
while debris can be seen all around it.
Later that day, actual footage showing what happened was also released for the world to see.
It was an 18-second video that revealed the tense moments before the fighter crashed.
The Navy initially stated that it could not confirm the photo's authenticity.
But not long after, the service corroborated the imagery as genuine,
explaining that the video and the picture were taken on board USS Carl Vinson CVN 70.
The video shows the fighter as it banks to approach the carrier.
The ship itself was turning at the time, as can be seen from the starboard angle at the aft -where
the video was apparently filmed- on a platform holding a MK 38 25-millimeter machine gun.
During the approach, the whine of the F-35C’s engine increased just as the
rear control surfaces fluttered. The aircraft then exits the frame,
followed by a thump and a curtain of smoke rising from the flight deck.
Seven sailors were injured in the incident, including the pilot, who ejected on time
and was recovered via helicopter. However, he and two others had to be evacuated to
Manila for medical treatment, while the remaining four were treated onboard.
They’ve all recovered since the occurrance.
The unfortunate episode marked the fifth major accident aboard the carrier in a
two-month period while patrolling the South China Sea. Nevertheless,
little information is available about the string of mishaps.
As Navy spokesman Lieutenant Nicholas Lingo expressed: (QUOTE) "All five incidents remain
under investigation, and we cannot speak to any pattern until the investigation concludes."
Plans to salvage the wreck are currently underway,
but the unrevealed location of the accident and the agents that are involved in the retrieval
will determine the reaction of the Chinese military towards the operation.
Next Steps
The damage in the carrier was merely superficial, allowing the air wing to resume normal operations
rapidly. Navy spokesman Lieutenant Mark Langford reported: (QUOTE) “Impact to the
flight deck is superficial and all equipment for flight operations is operational.”
However, the precious stealth fighter was not so lucky.
At 100 million dollars, the warplane is the newest stealth fighter in the US Navy fleet
and is thus equipped with the most advanced technology to date.
Consequently, analysts have reiterated that Washington
should strive to keep such sensitive intelligence out of Beijing’s hands.
Mark Cancian, a former Marine Corps officer and current senior advisor for the Center for
Strategic and International Studies security program, stressed that the loss of the sea
service’s premier jet was a huge deal and stated: (QUOTE) “This is our most sophisticated aircraft,
it has all kinds of electronics onboard that our adversaries would love to get a hold of.
We need to make sure they don’t.”
The South China Sea is considered by many to be the most restless body of water in the world.
Regardless, Lieutenant Lingo has confirmed that the effort to recover the pricey asset has begun.
Analysts have foretold that raising the aircraft will be a complex enterprise.
Moreover, the Asian giant, which claims almost the entire 1.3 million-square-mile sea as its own,
will likely monitor the operation closely. Incidentally, Vinson was on patrol to
counter territorial claims in the region and defend international freedom of navigation.
Still, Cancian explained that the South China Sea is not particularly deep,
making the entire effort somewhat easy. Furthermore, he argued that:
(QUOTE) “The United States routinely goes and salvages aircraft that have crashed
in order to better understand what happened and to safeguard the sensitive equipment on them.”
Given that the aircraft impacted the deck and then fell into the water, it's plausible that it's
largely intact. Cancian added: (QUOTE) “It sounds like it hit the deck hard and rolled off the edge,
it didn’t go into the water at speed. It gets much harder if it’s in a thousand pieces.”
Another concern is that the Chinese Navy will likely meddle with the operation.
In case the US Navy hires a salvage company, they might be compelled to provide an escort.
The advisor foretold: (QUOTE) “I’m sure the Chinese will object, they’ll send some notes
and protest, they’ll send a ship out to watch, but I doubt that they do more.”
International Affairs
Retired submarine officer and senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, Bryan Clark, believes China must
be pleased that such a valuable adversary piece has crashed into its own backyard:
(QUOTE) “Although China has some F-35 data from their cyberespionage and has built a copy,
the (Chinese military’s) version is probably not identical in terms of sensors and combat systems,
so obtaining a U.S. aircraft would be very helpful.”
On their part, the Chinese clarified through their Foreign Ministry that they had no interest
in the fighter whatsoever. Indeed, they pleaded: (QUOTE) "We advise [the US] to contribute more to
regional peace and stability, rather than flexing force at every turn in [the South China Sea]."
Still, the Navy is currently racing to salvage the F-35C.
And given the closeness to the Asian superpower, it is likely that their
submarines will find the fighter before any US salvage ship can reach the site.
The Chinese, however, have kept a diplomatic posture,
with Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian even noting that:
(QUOTE) “This is not the first time that the US has an accident in the South China Sea.”
Indeed, two decades ago, an EP-3 surveillance aircraft was forced to emergency land on Hainan
Island in Chinese territory after a severe collision with a pursuing Chinese fighter.
Luckily, the 24-man American crew survived, but they were detained
and interrogated by the Chinese authorities and kept there for 10 days. In the meantime,
the Asian military exploited the opportunity to closely examine highly classified equipment
and intelligence materials, and the aircraft was returned in pieces.
Additionally, two other F-35s have been lost during the last three years,
starting with a Japanese F-35A in 2019 and a British F-35B in 2021.
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby concluded: (QUOTE) “We’re certainly mindful of the
value of an F-35 in every respect of what value means. And as we continue to attempt
recovery of the aircraft we’re going to do it obviously with safety foremost in mind,
but clearly our own national security interests. And I think I will just leave it at that.”
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