Japanese F-35 Jet Disappears From Radar Over Pacific Ocean

A Japanese F-35A stealth fighter belonging to the country's Air Self-Defense Force (ASDF) disappeared from radar screens flying over the Pacific Ocean, off Aomori Prefecture during a routine flight training, on Tuesday.

The fighter was one of the first 13 F-35A aircraft deployed in Japan. The ASDF’s radar lost track of the jet when it was about 135 km east of Misawa Air Base in the prefecture, Japan Times reported.

There was no confirmation whether the male pilot had ejected from the cockpit. The ASDF only formed the Misawa-based air squadron comprising the 13 F-35As on March 26.

Japan has plans to procure a total of 147 F-35 fighter jets, 105 of which are expected to be F-35A for the ASDF.

Later Tuesday, Japanese Defence Minister Takeshi Iwaya said that the air force would suspend flights of its remaining F-35As for the time being following the plane's disappearance, according to a report by Kyodo.