This incident has raised concerns among the air forces of both the United States and Japan. The distress signal "7700," issued by the pilot, indicates a serious malfunction or critical situation requiring immediate rescue response. This occurred while the fighter was in the airspace over Japanese territory.
According to information from the Flightradar service, contact with the aircraft was lost just a few minutes after the distress signal was issued, and it vanished from radar.
At this time, details regarding the fate of the pilot and the circumstances of the incident remain unclear.
The F-35A Lightning II strike fighter is one of the modifications of the fifth-generation multifunctional aircraft. Its first flight took place in 2006, and it has been in service with the U.S. Air Force since 2016. This aircraft is designed to perform tasks related to the destruction of both airborne and ground targets and is capable of carrying B61-12 thermonuclear munitions.
