Missing F35

Just read that. Wow. Another article that isn’t blocked:

taskandpurpose.com

Marine Corps searching for F-35 after pilot ejects in South Carolina

The Marine Corps F-35 Lightning suffered an unspecified "mishap" today, prompting the pilot to eject. Now the jet is missing.
taskandpurpose.com taskandpurpose.com

Discussion mentioned that the pilot could have put the plane on autopilot to direct it away from neighborhoods.
 
Finders keepers. Some farmer probably has the pieces in a barn under a big tarp.
 
Captain: Sir, It seems an LT lost his weapon.
Col: Why are you bothering me with this. Surely you can handle this. Make sure it is a teaching moment and the LT gets some extra attention.
Captain: Sir, it's not a rifle. It's an F35.
Col: [looking at Captain in disbelief]
Captain: [speechless and simultaneously crying and laughing on the inside.]
 
I get the ejection, setting the auto-pilot. I get this is a stealth airplane that may not have a typical transponder/ radio even. I don't get that the wingman landed safely (as reported) instead of tracking the no-soul-on-board empty plane at least long enough to confirm it's heading, altitude, hand off tracking to someone else/ refuel and rejoin, etc. Was the wingman at bingo fuel or having an issue too? Surely they would have thought - we better keep eyes on this empty F-35? Where did the pilot say it was programmed to fly to? Oh, so many questions. (Monday afternoon quarterbacking)
 
I tend to use the "reverse news coverage" principle when I hear about these things. Other than initial reports that an F35 went down "somewhere" and is missing, big media has been strangely quiet. That usually indicates they have been specifically asked to remain quiet while issues are being handled.

Imaginations will be running wild. I feel like I need to contribute. I heard the F35 was hunting down another Chinese spy balloon but collided with a UFO en route to the intercept. 😲
 
I've read enough books to know this sounds like some lame public cover used by a rogue member of the CIA to sell the plane to a greedy IT mogul in a random country. We'll have it back within a couple hundred pages. Just hope the collateral damage doesn't take out half the country during the fill chapters.
 
justme said:
I've read enough books to know this sounds like some lame public cover used by a rogue member of the CIA to sell the plane to a greedy IT mogul in a random country. We'll have it back within a couple hundred pages. Just hope the collateral damage doesn't take out half the country during the fill chapters.
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Tom Clancy would like to speak with you about stealing his current sci-fi thriller idea.
 
So many questions. Are they going to end up dragging two lakes? Glad the pilot is safe.
 
Herman_Snerd said:
I get the ejection, setting the auto-pilot. I get this is a stealth airplane that may not have a typical transponder/ radio even. I don't get that the wingman landed safely (as reported) instead of tracking the no-soul-on-board empty plane at least long enough to confirm it's heading, altitude, hand off tracking to someone else/ refuel and rejoin, etc. Was the wingman at bingo fuel or having an issue too? Surely they would have thought - we better keep eyes on this empty F-35? Where did the pilot say it was programmed to fly to? Oh, so many questions. (Monday afternoon quarterbacking)
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They were in low IFR conditions. Both f35s went missed on the approach. Following a jet around at 2-3,000 ft in actual IMC would be very dangerous and could result in a second mishap.
 
Herman_Snerd said:
I get this is a stealth airplane that may not have a typical transponder/ radio even
Click to expand...
Maybe someone a whole lot smarter (or current ) than I can explain, but I can't imagine that any plane flying in the East Coast corridor is going to operate with a transponder and/or IFF ... If a missed approach scenario, they could have been low on fuel so crash wouldn't have as big a fireball, and could be in dense forest. I'm sure they will go all out to find it.
 
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