WASHINGTON: The US military has found debris from an F-35 stealth jet that went missing after the pilot ejected, Western media reported on Monday.
The media reports quoting US officials said the debris was located near Joint Base Charleston (JBC) without providing further details.
Pilot ejected safely
The pilot was able to safely eject from the US $80 aircraft, an F-35B Lightning II jet, and was taken to a local medical facility in stable condition.
When the jet disappeared over South Carolina on Sunday, the JBC issued a statement on social media seeking any information about the missing aircraft.
The F-35 Lightning II jet is used by US allies around the world.
The pilot ejected and parachuted safely into a North Charleston area on Sunday leaving the jet.
The disappearance of a highly advanced aircraft raised many questions about the quality of the F-35 aircraft claimed to be a highly advanced fifth-generation stealth aircraft.
Since Russia started war on Ukraine, President Zelensky had been asking the United States to supply his air force with advanced US jets to give his military an edge over Russia.
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The missing aircraft was an F-35B, operated by the Marines that has short takeoff and vertical landing abilities.
The shape of its airframe, two angled stabilizers on the back, and special materials make it almost impossible for normal radar to detect the aircraft.
JBC spokesman Jeremy Huggins told the media that the jet’s transponder was not working and that it could not be tracked due to its highly advanced stealth capabilities.
So far seven F-35s have been destroyed in previous crashes due to different causes.
