{"id":36194,"date":"2018-09-07T20:05:56","date_gmt":"2018-09-07T20:05:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/09\/07\/f-35-suffers-first-major-airborne-mishap\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T19:34:56","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T19:34:56","slug":"f-35-suffers-first-major-airborne-mishap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/your-navy\/2018\/09\/07\/f-35-suffers-first-major-airborne-mishap\/","title":{"rendered":"Navy F-35C suffers first major airborne mishap"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Navy\u2019s next-generation F-35 fighter jet<\/a> reached an unwanted milestone last month when a carrier-based Lightning II suffered a major airborne mishap<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It took place on Aug. 22, when an F-35C from the \u201cRough Raiders\u201d of Strike Fighter Squadron 125 was being refueled in-flight by a F\/A-18F Super Hornet operating from the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln, according to Cmdr. Ron Flanders, a spokesman for Naval Air Forces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDuring the refueling, part of the refueling basket broke off, and that debris was ingested into the engine of the F-35,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The basket is part of the appendage that extends out from the Super Hornet to refuel receiving aircraft, Flanders said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Super Hornet was flying in front of the F-35 during the mishap, and the broken basket flew right into the fighter\u2019s single engine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No pilots were injured in the incident, Flanders said.<\/p>\n\n\n\t