A US Navy F-35C Lightning II jet has reportedly crashed near NAS Lemoore in Kings County, California, according to early reports on Tuesday evening.
Police and fire crews were seen responding to the crash site shortly after the incident. The cause of the crash remains under investigation, and no details about what led to the emergency have been released.
🚨 #BREAKING: A US Navy F-35 fighter jet has crashed in California. The pilot ejected safely. Crash occurred around 6:30 PM — cause under investigation, says Navy. #F35 #USNavy #BreakingNews #California #F35 #F35Crash #USA #UnitedStates #Trending #TrendingNow #WATCH pic.twitter.com/0z34IdXZTB
— LoudFact (@loudfactcom) July 31, 2025
Pilot Ejects Safely, No Other Injuries Reported
“The pilot successfully ejected and is safe. There are no additional affected personnel,” — Statement from NAS Lemoore.
The Navy did not confirm whether the aircraft was conducting a training flight or operational mission at the time of the crash.
Lockheed Martin Yet to Comment
The F-35C Lightning II is manufactured by U.S. defense contractor Lockheed Martin, which did not immediately respond to requests for comment outside regular business hours.
About the F-35C Lightning II
The F-35C is the carrier-based variant of the F-35 stealth fighter and represents the world’s only fifth-generation aircraft capable of operating from aircraft carriers.
According to the US Naval Academy, the F-35C:
“Sets new standards in weapon system integration, lethality, maintainability, combat radius and payload that bring true multi-mission power projection capability from the sea.”
The jet combines stealth capabilities with advanced sensors and network-enabled operations, making it a key asset in modern naval warfare.
Investigation Underway
As of now, no further details about the crash have been provided by the Navy or other official agencies. The incident marks the latest in a series of high-profile military aircraft incidents across the U.S. in recent years.
