OREANDA-NEWS In South Carolina fell down an American fighter of the fifth generation. The pilot, as a military official told CNN, ejected. On the eve of the F-35B made his first strikes in Afghanistan.

In Beaufort County, South Carolina, near the US marine Corps aviation station crashed American multi-purpose fighter of the fifth generation F-35B. About it with reference to the unnamed military official reports CNN. CBS News said that this was the first crash of the "newest and most expensive aircraft of the United States".

According to the source, the pilot managed to eject. This information was then confirmed by the County Sheriff's office.

The plane crash, as specified on the website of the Sheriff's office, occurred near Clarendon Road  and Joe Allen Drive in the area of Grace Hill around 11:45 local time (18.45 GMT). "The military confirmed that it [fell] a military aircraft," - said in the Department, without naming the model of the crashed aircraft. Whether anyone was injured in the accident is still unknown, the district Sheriff's office said.

Military aircraft, as told later in the Department, fell near Little Barnwell Island - an archaeological site located in the district of Beaufort. Local residents were advised by law enforcement officers to avoid the area. What was the cause of the incident is not yet clear.

On the eve of CNN, citing three employees of the us defense Ministry reported that the F-35B made its first sortie and struck in Afghanistan on the positions of the banned Taliban movement in Russia. In the United States, the "stealth fighter" F-35, according to the channel, was "named the most expensive weapon system in history." Before these aircraft were put into service, their development was accompanied by numerous delays.

On Friday, September 28, the Pentagon, as CNN recalls, announced a new contract for the next batch of F-35 aircraft. The military Department then said that the fighter designer, the American military-industrial Corporation Lockheed Martin agreed to reduce the price for The US marine corps. The cost of one fighter, according to the Pentagon, for the military amounted to $ 115.5 million.

The F-35B, as CNN points out, is the only model of this family of low-profile fifth-generation multi-fighter bombers that is capable of vertical landing. In addition, the F-35B needs a minimum distance for takeoff run. Also, this model of fighter is adapted for takeoff and landing on landing craft class USS Essex.