Baghdad: A US Air Force pilot survived after a single-seat F-35 fighter jet crashed at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska on Tuesday. Colonel Paul Townsend, commander of the 354th Fighter Wing, told reporters that the pilot experienced a "flight malfunction" but was able to eject safely from the plane. He added that the plane crashed during the "landing phase" at Eielson Air Force Base. Townsend explained that the pilot declared an emergency before the accident occurred, and that he is now in stable condition and is undergoing examinations at a medical institution.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, a statement from the US Air Force said that the accident occurred at approximately 12:49 pm local time and caused "significant damage" to the plane. Townsend said the pilot was engaged in routine training in local airspace when the incident occurred, and the Air Force will conduct a 'thorough investigation to reduce the chances of such incidents occurring again in the future.'

The F-35 is a long-range, supersonic fighter with advanced camouflage capabilities and, with an endurance of more than 12 hours, can reach any point in the Northern Hemisphere on a single mission. Eielson Air Force Base is home to 54 of the aircraft, with the last two arriving in 2022. According to a fact sheet from Eielson Air Force Base, the F-35A is the Air Force's 'newest fifth-generation fighter,' replacing an aging fleet of F-16 Fighting Falcons and A-10 Thunderbolt IIs. According to Air and Space Forces magazine last December, the average price of a new F-35 is about $81 million.