As the hunt continues for a £65 million warplane that went missing, history reminds us of previous instances where military jets autonomously flew over long distances and managed to land safely.
The F-35, often referred to as the "ghost" plane, disappeared over South Carolina on a Sunday afternoon, prompting urgent efforts by the US military to locate it.
The pilot successfully ejected from the aircraft due to an unknown error, but the plane itself remained in a peculiar "zombie-like" state, operating on autopilot and continuing its flight.
This peculiar incident bears a striking resemblance to two well-known cases in military aviation history.
Firstly, the US witnessed the "Cornfield Bomber" incident in 1970, where a F-106 miraculously recovered from a severe nosedive and eventually landed without significant damage, all without a pilot on board.
Secondly, in 1989, a Soviet MiG-23, known as the "Ghost MiG," caused a commotion as it flew unmanned for over 600 miles, crossing the Iron Curtain and eventually crashing into a residence in Belgium.
However, the current status of the missing F-35B remains uncertain as the search area has been narrowed down to two lakes north of Charleston.
Authorities have called upon the public to assist in locating the missing Lightning II fighter jet, which reportedly remained in stealth mode on autopilot after the pilot's ejection.
In this "zombie" mode, F-35s can continue flying for extended periods depending on their fuel reserves.
Efforts to locate the aircraft have been further complicated by the advanced sensor systems and airframe design of F-35Bs, which enable them to remain undetected by potential adversaries.
Additionally, the aircraft's transponder, typically used for tracking, is currently non-operational for reasons yet to be determined, according to a spokesperson at Joint Base Charleston.
F-35s are renowned as some of the world's most expensive and technologically advanced fighter jets, recognized for their stealth capabilities, speed, and aerodynamic design.
The US military is currently conducting an investigation to determine the cause of this unusual incident.
