The most modern and the most expensive US Fighter Jet F-35 crashed in South Carolina, the US Marine Corps said. The causes of the crash of the model F-35B, with an estimated cost of 100 million USD is being investigated.
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F-35 Fighter Jet is the largest and most expensive project in military aviation of the world. The program is designed for 30-40 years, and the fighter manufacturers plan to sell more than 3000 aircraft in the international arena.
F-35 Fighter Jet developed by Lockheed Martin is criticized for its high cost and inadequate combat effectiveness. The first F-35 was launched in 2006.
Literally, on the day of the F-35 crash, the US Department of Defense announced a contract for the purchase of 141 fighters of this type. According to Reuters, the Pentagon managed to reduce the price to $ 89.2 million for each aircraft. The jet that broke down in South Carolina was purchased at a higher price.
In the arsenal of the United States and Israel, there are three varieties of F-35. Coincidentally, on Thursday, September 27, American aircraft first conducted a bombardment using F-35B – the target was the defence facilities of the Taliban in Afghanistan.
In late May, Israel for the first time used the F-35A on the battlefield – presumably in an air operation in Syria. US President Donald Trump more than once praised this development for combat and technical characteristics, arguing that the aircraft is invisible to the enemy due to its stealth technology.
F-35: Key Characteristics
The main feature of the Lockheed Martin-developed F-35 Fighter Jets is its versatility: it is suitable for use in the Air Force, the Marine Corps and the aircraft carriers of the navy. The F-35A takes off in the traditional way, the F-35B is capable of vertical take-off and landing, the F-35C can take off from the aircraft carrier with the help of a catapult.
Technology “stealth” allows the fighter jet to penetrate the enemy’s territory unnoticed. With closer contact with an enemy aircraft, the aircraft becomes slowly visible, but it has a small cross-section on the screen, which, according to the developers, allows the pilot to attack the enemy first.
The built-in helmet of the pilot allows you to aim and shoot at the target, no matter what position the aircraft occupies in the air – it is not necessary to be directly in front of the target. Additionally, the aircraft has can jam the enemy radars. All information from sensors, as well as the pilot’s biometrics instantly enters the operational center of the command.
