It’s been more than 24 hours since the world first heard of the “Zombie F-35,” an F-35B Lightning II stealth fighter jet that disappeared without a trace over South Carolina. The aircraft’s pilot was forced to eject on a Sunday afternoon, leaving the $80 million jet on autopilot. Even more baffling is the complete failure of the plane’s transponder, complicating all efforts to locate it.
• Aircraft Involved: F-35B Lightning II
• Value: Estimated $80 million
• Location: Over South Carolina
• Incident Time: Sunday afternoon
• Pilot: Ejected safely and is in stable condition
• Current Status: Still missing as of Monday morning
• Transponder: Failed for an undetermined reason
• Public Appeal: Joint Base Charleston asks for public help in locating the aircraft
What We Know:
Despite the pilot’s safe ejection a few thousand feet above ground, the jet itself has become the stuff of modern legend. There are no reports of smoke, explosions, or any trace that could provide clues to the jet’s location.
The incident has led to some online mockery, questioning how a technologically advanced and incredibly expensive piece of military equipment could simply go missing.
Joint Base Charleston is working in collaboration with the Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort to locate any debris from what is believed to be a crash site north of the airbase, near Lake Moultrie and Lake Marion.
The military’s inability to locate the F-35 raises critical questions about potential gaps in technology and protocol. It also brings forth the bigger question of whether the stealth capabilities of such aircraft are, in fact, a double-edged sword when things go awry.
As the search intensifies, the mystery surrounding the “Zombie F-35” brings into question the reliability of cutting-edge technology and operational protocols, raising eyebrows and concerns across the military and civilian sectors alike.
