Exercises at a military base in Florida ended with the crash of two fighter jets and the hospitalization of one pilot
According to official information, military exercises were held at the Englin Air Force Base on Friday and Tuesday. In these exercises, the most advanced aircraft were tested, but the fifth-generation F-35A Lightning II and F-22 crashed.
The first crash occurred on Friday a few miles from the air base. The pilot managed to eject in time and not get serious damage. The second plane crash occurred four days later. On Tuesday, the US Air Force reported that the Stealth F-35 fighter exploded during an unsuccessful landing.
The F-35 pilot also managed to eject, but did not avoid injuries. The nature of the damage is not reported, it is only known that the pilot was taken to hospital in a stable condition.
NEWS RELEASE: An F-35A Lightning II assigned to the 58th Fighter Sq crashed upon landing around 9:30 p.m. today @TeamEglin. The pilot successfully ejected and was transported to the 96th Medical Group for evaluation and monitoring. The pilot is in stable condition. Cont.
— Eglin Air Force Base (@TeamEglin) May 20, 2020
To date, it is not known for certain what caused the crash. The Air Force is investigating.
The total amount of damage due to the loss of the two newest aircraft is estimated at $ 180 million.