F-35B Lightning II fighter jet crashes near Marine Corps Air Station Miramar

An F-35B Lightning II fighter jet crashed Friday at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar near San Diego, setting off a major emergency response. The pilot safely ejected  [aka "punched out"] from the aircraft and was later rescued.

The crash happened on July 31 and involved an F-35B Lightning II, according to 1st Lt. Blake Starbuck, a spokesperson for the air station.

Starbuck said the pilot was "en route to a medical facility" after ejecting from the jet. The base later announced that the pilot was in stable condition and was being evaluated and treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

Starbuck described the incident as a "mishap" and said additional details would be released as they become available.

Video from local television stations showed thick smoke rising from the crash site as firefighters and emergency crews rushed to respond.

The accident is the latest in a series of F-35 crashes. In March, a U.S. Air Force F-35A crashed in Nevada. The pilot ejected safely and suffered only minor injuries. In July 2025, another pilot escaped safely after an F-35 crashed near Naval Air Station Lemoore in central California.

The F-35 is widely considered the most advanced fighter aircraft in the world. The Pentagon operates three versions of the jet: the F-35A for the Air Force, the F-35B for the Marine Corps, and the F-35C for the Navy. The F-35B is unique because it can take off and land vertically, much like a helicopter.

Built by Lockheed Martin, the F-35 is also the most expensive weapons program in U.S. military history. According to a 2023 Government Accountability Office report, the Pentagon is expected to spend about $1.7 trillion on nearly 2,500 F-35 aircraft over the life of the program. The project has faced years of maintenance problems, delays, and rising costs.

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Concerns over the program's price tag have been raised for years, including by President Donald Trump. Before taking office for his first term, Trump called the F-35 program "out of control" and promised to reduce its costs. Despite those concerns, the program's overall price has continued to increase.

Lockheed Martin's press office did not immediately respond Friday to a request for comment.

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