F-35B was simulated shot down? This scene in the Western Pacific shocked the UK, and US forces stationed in Japan confirmed it

Recently, personnel from the US military stationed in Japan revealed that during a recent training exercise involving different types of aircraft, an F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter from the USS Washington aircraft carrier simulated shooting down an F-35B belonging to the British HMS Prince of Wales aircraft carrier.

This turned the HMS Prince of Wales' Asia-Pacific tour into a humiliating failure. First, on June 14, 2025, an F-35B with the serial number "ZM147" encountered a strong storm while landing and taking off in the Indian Ocean. In an emergency situation where fuel was about to run out, the pilot sent an emergency 7700 distress signal to the Indian air traffic control and finally made an emergency landing at Trivandrum International Airport in India.

Then, on August 10, another F-35B from the same aircraft carrier made an emergency landing at Kagoshima Airport in Japan due to equipment failure. Now, it has also been revealed that the F-35B aircraft on board were shot down by the F/A-18E Super Hornet, which is half a generation behind, during a simulation exercise. This is really a case of misfortune upon misfortune.

The continuous failures of the F-35B have exposed its inherent design weaknesses. Mechanical failures are not the only problem. An internal audit report from the UK showed that only slightly more than 30% of the F-35 fleet in the UK is fully operational.

The continuous failures of the F-35B have had some impact on the military balance in the Western Pacific. These cases indicate that the performance of the F-35 largely depends on maintenance levels, pilot training, and support from the combat system. A weapon system that is effective for one country may perform poorly in another due to insufficient support systems. In the future, when facing the J-20 fighter, the outcome will be almost predictable.

Original article: www.toutiao.com/article/1847478249198728/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author.