It's the second time an Air Force F-35A has been destroyed in an accident since the jets began flying in 2012.
No aviators were injured in the mishap, the Navy said.
The Lightning II pilot radioed a code 7700, which flags an airborne emergency to air traffic control, around 1:10 p.m. local time on June 15.
The Air Force said Monday it plans to bring two F-35A squadrons to the Valdosta base starting in fiscal 2029.
NATO’s eastern flank has become an ideal proving ground for America’s most advanced fighter jet.
“Ultimately, the [Lightning Technician Program] concept did not meet the needs of the Air Force enterprise,” the service said.
Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is investigating the mishap that destroyed the advanced fighter jet on Wednesday.
While the students spread out, the wind blew a large portion of a tree onto five students.
Military officials won’t answer whether they’ve found the problem on any planes.
Air Combat Command aims to finish checking its F-35As for faulty ejection seats by mid-October.
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