US Air Force resurrects F-35 fighter jet using parts from destroyed aircraft and saves $63 million

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US Air Force resurrects F-35 fighter jet using parts from destroyed aircraft and saves $63 millionUS Air Force resurrects F-35 fighter jet using parts from destroyed aircraft and saves $63 million (X @theF35JPO)

The United States Air Force has added to its fleet a stealth fighter jet F-35A assembled from parts of two crashed aircraft, nicknamed the “Frankenjet”.

The project combined the front section of a jet damaged by a catastrophic engine failure in 2014 in Florida with the rear of another that sustained serious damage after a landing gear issue in 2020 in Utah. Instead of discarding the two $75 million jets, engineers decided to merge them to save resources and recover an aircraft for operational use.

The Frankenjet was assembled at Hill Air Force Base using tools and equipment specially developed for the project. According to Lockheed Martin, the manufacturer of the model, this was the first time that parts from two F-35s were joined together, marking an unprecedented achievement in military aviation history.

After nearly two and a half years of repairs, the refurbished jet completed its maiden flight in January, demonstrating performance comparable to that of a brand-new aircraft straight off the production line.

Now, the Frankenjet is officially operational and has been assigned to the 388th Fighter Squadron, the same group to which one of the original aircraft belonged. The total cost of the project was $11.7 million, representing a savings of approximately $63 million compared to purchasing a new fighter jet.

Currently, the US owns 383 F-35A units, a model that is also widely adopted by allied countries.

Source: CNN | Photo: X @theF35JPO | This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team

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