US Air Force F-35A fighter jet crashes in Alaska

An F-35A fighter jet of the US Air Force crashed during landing at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska on 28 January 2025 at 12:49 am.

Here's What We Know

The pilot managed to eject in the US16E seat and was not seriously injured. A special commission has been set up to investigate the incident.

The downed aircraft was part of the 354th Fighter Wing of the US Air Force, which operates F-35As in two squadrons - the 355th and 356th Tactical Fighter Squadrons. The unit began receiving F-35As in 2020, and this crash was the first loss of an aircraft since then.

It is also the first F-35A lost by the US Air Force in 2025. The last time an aircraft of this modification crashed was on 4 April 2024. In general, the F-35A accident rate remains low: with more than 300,000 flight hours per year, the United States usually loses 1-2 of these fighters.

Earlier it was reported that the missile cruiser USS Gettysburg (CG-64) accidentally shot down an F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jet while flying over the Red Sea. The incident took place as part of Operation Prosperity Guardian, aimed at fighting Yemen's Houthis and maintaining air security in the region.

Source: Eielson