That looked expensive.
A Potential Disaster
A new video shows a Marine Corps F-35B fighter jet smashing into the ground in a massive ball of flame after colliding with a tanker aircraft, The Drive reports. The crash occurred over southern California yesterday.
F-35B Crashing Ground After Mid-Air Collision With KC-130J pic.twitter.com/dPBdVjokJ9
— vladvlad (@vladwlad777) September 30, 2020
Mild Injuries
The fighter jet pilot was able to eject, fortunately. And the entire eight-person crew of the tanker was also able to walk away from the collision following an emergency landing.
"There are some mild injuries that are being treated, but they are all safe," Brett Vannier, spokesman for Marine Corps Air Station Yuma in Arizona, told Military.com.
It was an expensive crash. A single F-35B costs the military north of $120 million and about $44,000 an hour to fly.
The collision took place during a training hosted by the Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One at Yuma. The exact cause of the event is still under investigation.
Saving Lives
The manufacturer of the ejector seat, Martin-Baker, highlighted in a tweet that their system has so far saved 7,633 lives.
A USMC F-35B made contact with a KC-130J during air-to-air refuelling, resulting in the crash of the F-35B. The pilot ejected successfully. pic.twitter.com/LL9e2ty6OZ
— Martin-Baker (@MB_EjectEject) September 30, 2020
The event could've ended tragically. In 2018, a F/A-18D Hornet pilot collided with a tanker during a nighttime mission over Japan. Six Marines died as a result and four military leaders were fired after an investigation.
READ MORE: Video Emerges Of Marine F-35B Crashing In A Ball Of Fire After Colliding With A KC-130J [The Drive]
More on fighter jets: AI Fighter Jet Obliterates Human Air Force Pilot in Simulated Dogfight
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