What happens when one of the world’s most advanced fighter jets falls from the sky?
That’s exactly what unfolded near Naval Air Station Lemoore on Wednesday evening.
An F-35C—yes, the $100 million stealth jet built for aircraft carriers—crashed in open farmland around 6:30 p.m.
The pilot ejected safely, thankfully. Fire crews rushed in as black smoke rose near Fresno, video from KFSN showed.
The jet belonged to VF-125, the “Rough Raiders,” a squadron that trains new pilots.
And while no one was seriously hurt, the crash raises serious questions.
It’s not the first time, either. This marks the second F-35 crash in 2025 alone—an Air Force variant went down in Alaska in January. Both pilots survived.
Why Do These Jets Fail?
A recent Pentagon report doesn’t mince words: “The F-35 fleet continues to fall short of expectations.”
Despite its cutting-edge stealth and combat prowess, the jet’s reliability and maintenance record is spotty at best.
So, how advanced is too advanced?
As the U.S. military leans hard on the F-35 program—with over 400 jets in service—critics wonder.
Whether this costly investment is flying too close to failure.
