A United States Air Force (USAF) Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor fifth-generation fighter jet has been damaged in a landing accident.
According to a press release from Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, the “mishap on landing” took place at 10:25 a.m. EDT (14:25 GMT), on March 22, 2022. The aircraft belonged to the 325th Fighter Wing stationed at Eglin.
“Emergency crews responded immediately and were on the scene. The pilot involved in the mishap was released from the hospital and is in good condition. An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the mishap is underway,” the release states.
An unconfirmed photograph has been circulating on social media, claiming to show the aftermath of the event. In the photograph, an F-22 with partially collapsed landing gear can be seen beside a runway.
However, the photograph appears to be from a similar incident in 2021, when another F-22 from the same Fighter Wing experienced a front landing gear failure while landing at Eglin.
The Lockheed Martin F-22, which entered service in 2005, is the world’s first mass-produced fifth-generation fighter jet, as well as the first air superiority fighter to use stealth technology.
Initially intended to replace the McDonnell Douglas F-15, the F-22 was deemed too expensive, and its production was ended in 2011. Only 195 aircraft of this model were manufactured, including prototypes.