F-35C crashes near NAS Lemoore; pilot ejects safely

The F-35 program has faced scrutiny over its safety record and cost, but data shows it has a lower mishap rate than its predecessor, the F-16 Fighting Falcon. According to an analysis by Popular Mechanics, while the F-16 has a lifetime mishap rate of 3.55 per 100,000 flight hours, the F-35’s rate stands at 1.6 per 100,000 flight hours.

In 2024, U.S. military aviation experienced its highest number of severe accidents in more than ten years, with 26 Class A Mishaps recorded by the U.S. Air Force Safety Center; two involved F-35 aircraft in flight and both were Marine Corps F-35B models.

Reports have noted that negative perceptions about F-35 safety are often exaggerated compared to available data from official sources such as accident records and safety centers. Coverage from outlets like Sandboxx suggests that increased reporting may be due to recency bias and rapid expansion of global fleets rather than evidence of poor design or performance.

As more air forces adopt the Lightning II worldwide and fleet numbers grow—now exceeding 1,200 jets—the number of incidents is expected to rise simply due to scale. However, fatal accidents remain rare for this fifth-generation fighter jet.