US Navy F-35C crashes near NAS Lemoore in California, pilot ejects safely

A US Navy F-35C Lightning II fighter jet crashed near Naval Air Station (NAS) Lemoore in central California on the evening of July 30, 2025, the service confirmed in a brief statement. 

“We can confirm the pilot successfully ejected and is safe,” NAS Lemoore said in a statement. “There are no additional affected personnel.” 

The incident occurred at approximately 18:30 local time just outside the airfield. Local emergency services, including Cal Fire and Fresno County agencies, responded to the crash site, which reportedly ignited a small brush fire. The blaze was quickly brought under control. 

Training jet from US Navy’s ‘Rough Raiders’ 

The aircraft was reportedly assigned to VFA-125, the US Navy’s Fleet Replacement Squadron based at NAS Lemoore and responsible for training pilots to operate the F-35C, the carrier-capable variant of the Joint Strike Fighter. The squadron plays a central role in preparing aviators for carrier operations with frontline units. 

NAS Lemoore serves as the US Navy’s West Coast hub for strike fighter squadrons and houses the majority of the service’s F-35C fleet. 

Investigation ongoing 

The cause of the crash remains under investigation. No additional information has been released regarding the flight’s purpose or the condition of the aircraft. 

The F-35 has experienced a number of operational incidents in recent years across all three variants, A, B, and C. 

In January 2025, a US Air Force F-35A crashed near Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska following an in-flight malfunction. In June 2025, a Royal Navy F-35B was grounded for several weeks in India after making an emergency landing due to a hydraulic issue. The post US Navy F-35C crashes near NAS Lemoore in California, pilot ejects safely appeared first on AeroTime.

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