F35 down and missing in SC

You'd think they could get the correct model and country markings in the ad photo....:rolleyes1:
 
Yeah, the last thing I would want would be a transponder squawking in a combat zone.

you also don't want anyone tracking aircraft movement (specific aircraft - think special mission of any kind, and groups of aircraft).
 
Mechanic is on the way to do a prebuy right now.
 
you also don't want anyone tracking aircraft movement (specific aircraft - think special mission of any kind, and groups of aircraft).
Well, aircraft do squawk in combat zones because friendly tracking is a necessity. While that’s mostly modes 1,2,4 and 5, in both Iraq and Afghanistan we squawked mode 3 as well. EMCOM and transponder emissions aren’t that big of deal in 3rd world countries.
 
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The news articles also discuss a second F-35, his wingman. I'm surprised his wingman didn't track the aircraft after he ejected.
Because that's not what they're trained to do. They watch the pilot to make sure they got a good chute, identify where they went down and stay onsite long enough to try and direct SAR to the site.
 
If this aircraft was dash 2, then their transponder would be in standby. If that’s the case, tracking via CHS radar tapes might be an issue. Analog never recorded primaries but pretty sure digital (ASR-11) has recording capability.
 
Did they find the missing F 35 yet?

I don’t think so….

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Because that's not what they're trained to do. They watch the pilot to make sure they got a good chute, identify where they went down and stay onsite long enough to try and direct SAR to the site.
K.
So the other ship, our state-of-the-art, 5th gen fighter- can't track the incident aircraft BVR while the pilot keeps eyes on the chute for a short period of time?
Now they're saying it could've been a zombie flight, on AP going for hundreds of miles? Under what circumstances would the pilot be justified punching out of a $80,000,000+ aircraft that was capable of controlled flight?

They (military) KNOW what happened here. Clearly the pilot that ejected communicated (whether wingman or lead) with the other the nature of the emergency before ejecting from the aircraft.

Or maybe- unintentional ejection?

Something stinks about this...JMO.
 
Just saw a twitter report: BREAKING: Missing F-35 fighter jet crashed in Williamsburg County, north of Charleston

No other details.
 
K.
So the other ship, our state-of-the-art, 5th gen fighter- can't track the incident aircraft BVR while the pilot keeps eyes on the chute for a short period of time?
Now they're saying it could've been a zombie flight, on AP going for hundreds of miles? Under what circumstances would the pilot be justified punching out of a $80,000,000+ aircraft that was capable of controlled flight?

They (military) KNOW what happened here. Clearly the pilot that ejected communicated (whether wingman or lead) with the other the nature of the emergency before ejecting from the aircraft.

Or maybe- unintentional ejection?

Something stinks about this...JMO.
Well, it is designed to be difficult to see (visually and on radar). At the speed it was traveling, after one orbit around the wingman's chute, it was probably many miles away. And I'm guessing the pilot was expecting the plane to crash nearby and leave a big smoking hole. So why focus on that?

As for why the mishap plane's pilot ejected, maybe we'll find out. Then again, maybe we won't.
 
OK...what would cause a pilot to eject yet the plane was apparently able to continue straight and level for a while on autopilot?...mistake the eject lever for the lumbar support adjustment?
 
Lot of open and wooded areas around there. If there was no fire and it went in to one of the wooded areas, I can see how nobody would know it's there.
 

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it’s not hard to lose an aircraft…my unit found Scott O’Grady F-16c 4 years after the shoot down in Bosnia on my second rotation. An OH-58D saw something strange on a hillside just west of Banja Luka and went to investigate during a mission. One of the first digital pictures we were able to download to my TOC via FM radio and a retrans Blackhawk…and clearly showed an aim -9 on a wing. We had two National Guard soldiers that worked for General Dynamics in my unit and flew him out the next day with and EOD crew that could confirm the aircraft, and then blow it in place.

They had looked for the aircraft for a long time…but different circumstances of course.
 
Well, aircraft do squawk in combat zones because friendly tracking is a necessity. While that’s mostly modes 1,2,4 and 5, in both Iraq and Afghanistan we squawked mode 3 as well. EMCOM and transponder emissions aren’t that big of deal in 3rd world countries.
True, was thinking higher threat.
 
so haw far between the crash site and where the pilot landed?
 
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