Earlier this week, the US Navy reported its first F35C crash at sea. The plane had crashed into the deck of an aircraft carrier, USS Carl Vinson. The jet had crashed while attempting to make a landing. Seven crew members were hurt in the accident.
The incident happened while the aircraft was traveling in the South China Sea. The F35C was in routine flight operations when it crashed. It was recovered by a remotely operated vehicle called the CURV-21.
The CURV-21 attached specialized equipment to the aircraft. It also attached lift lines. CURV-21 was also used to salvage the aircraft from the seafloor. It has also recovered aircraft from extremely deep waters in the past.
Now, a team of engineers is preparing to retrieve the F35C. Ultra Deep Solutions, a Singapore-based company, has been hired by the US Navy to complete this task. The process of salvaging the aircraft depends on its depth. It will take around 120 days. Although there are no plans for the aircraft to be moved to a specific spot, it is possible that China will observe the operation.
The Navy reported that the aircraft was recovered from a depth of about 12,400 feet. The aircraft's rear fuselage was damaged and its S9 skin punctured. The fire also destroyed the tail. The pilot was safely ejected. 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. The footage was apparently captured by a member the carrier's crew. The video went viral online in China and other countries. However, there was some controversy over the validity of the video.
The senior chief of the carrier stated that the video was being circulated in a smoke pit. He claimed that the senior yeoman on board, a Capt. Scott Miller had previously instructed his crew not to remove the video.
It is unclear if the video was an official record or just a rumor. It appears that the video was leaked and circulated by a number of Navy personnel, including five officers. Another possibility is that the video was released without proper clearance.
The F35C is the world's most advanced stealth fighter. It is a member the US Navy's "Argonauts", and belongs to Strike Fighter Squadron 147. It is also one of the most recent jets in the Navy fleet. It's capable of flying for approximately 12 days per annum, although it is expected to be able flight for longer periods. A report has suggested that the aircraft could be suffering from power degradation.
The Navy has also been preparing for F35C recovery over the last month. It has also collected specialized salvage gear. It will likely take approximately 10 to 15 days for the salvage operation to reach the crash site depending on how deep it is.
The Navy still has much to learn about this 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.