Waste of the Day: Marine Corps Lost $100 Million Fighter Jet For Over 24 Hours
The Marine Corps recently misplaced for about 24 hours a fighter jet that cost about $100 million, turning to the public for help finding this expensive, top-secret equipment that they were unable to locate.
On the evening of Sept. 18, Joint Base Charleston made a post on Facebook asking for the public’s help locating an F-35B Lightning II fighter jet lost from Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron (VMFAT) 501 with the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, noting that while the pilot safely ejected during a “mishap,” the jet was missing.
The post asked the public to call 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing Public Affairs Office if anyone had seen the jet.
Over 24 hours later, the plane was eventually found in Williamsburg County, South Carolina, about 80 miles north of where it had taken off, according to NBC. An investigation is still ongoing to determine why the pilot ejected and how the plane flew for 60 miles with no pilot, according to AP.
Criticism from lawmakers quickly followed, with Congresswoman Nancy Mace (R-SC) posting on social media platform X, “How in the hell do you lose an F-35?” AP reported these cutting-edge warplanes from Lockheed Martin cost about $100 million apiece.
The F-35 program, which is on track to cost the government $1.7 trillion over its lifetime, has been plagued for years by cost overruns, delivery delays, and equipment malfunctions since its inception, according to the Government Accountability Office.
With the confusion over the loss of this expensive jet for over 24 hours, it’s no wonder why the Department of Defense has never passed an audit, and why we should be leery of continuing to reward the Pentagon with more money when it can’t manage the assets it has now.
The #WasteOfTheDay is brought to you by the forensic auditors at OpenTheBooks.com
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