F-35C and F/A-18F Super Hornet Damaged During Air-to-Air Refueling

F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) which is launched from aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) damaged during air-to-air refueling. This is the first official record in the history for JSF damage. USNI News confirmed with US Navy Officials that the incident took place on 22 August 2018, during training activities.

US NAVY officials declared that engine of the F-35C was damaged during the air to air refueling with a F/A-18F, because of a piece broken off the refueling equipment and ran into the engine, F-35C landed on the aircraft carrier and F-18 returned back to Naval Air Station Oceana safely after the incident, and an investigation commenced right after the safe landing of both aircrafts.

According to the given information, the damage is classified as Class-A according to Navy standards since the financial loss of the incident is more than 2 million dollars.  It is also evaluated that the engine damage cost may be much worse. It is also known that the engine is manufactured by the firm Pratt & Whitney on May 2018 and cost is 14 million dollars.

Damage occurred on the F/A-18F is classified as Class-C which corresponds to 50.000 to 500.000 dollars.