An Air Force fighter jet was involved in a crash Monday morning at the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport.
A F-22 Raptor crashed while participating in the Sentry Savannah showcase around 11:30 a.m., according to a press release from the 165th Airlift Wing public affairs office.
One person was involved in what the Georgia Air National Guard called a "mishap," though no injuries were reported.
Sentry Savannah, which started Monday, is an annual aerial combat training exercise hosted by the Georgia Air National Guard, featuring dozens of fighter jets and more than 1,000 airmen. The showcase highlights aircraft readiness, according to the director, Col. Steven Thomas.
The single-seat supersonic F-22 Raptors returned to the Sentry Savannah in 2023 after a five-year hiatus, following a botched takeoff in 2018 when a plane slid about 6,500 feet down a runway before stopping. Pilot error was at fault in that crash, according to the Air Force investigation.
The air base had recertified the runway barricade prior to this year's two-week-long event to "ensure runway safety," the center posted on Facebook.
In fiscal year 2023, F-22s were involved in nine serious noncombat accidents, leading manned aircraft mishaps, according to figures obtained by Air Force Times. These included both flight operations and maintenance issues. Among the flight-related incidents, six were directly related to flight operations. One incident involved a bird strike that forced an emergency landing, while others resulted in bent blades on an engine and other engine troubles. Additionally, there were three incidents during maintenance activities, including two mishaps while the aircraft were being towed.
The F-22 is an all-weather stealth fighter aircraft developed for the U.S. Air Force. It can perform both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions, but is optimized for the air dominance role.
Sophisticated sensors allows the pilot to track, identify, shoot, and kill air-to-air threats before being detected. In its air-to-air configuration, the F-22 carries six AIM-120 AMRAAMs and two AIM-9 Sidewinders. For air-to-ground missions, it can carry two 1,000-pound GBU-32 Joint Direct Attack Munitions internally.
The F-22 can also supercruise, meaning it can fly at supersonic speeds without using afterburner, and has thrust-vectoring engines to increase maneuverability.
The Sentry Savannah continues until Saturday, May 18.
Update, 5/6/24, 6:00 p.m. ET: This story has been updated with new information from the Georgia Air National Guard.
Update, 5/7/24, 5:30 a.m. ET: This story was updated with additional information.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
fairness meter
To Rate This Article
About the writer
Monica is a Newsweek reporter based in Boston. Her focus is reporting on breaking news. Monica joined Newsweek in 2024. ... Read more
