[OldWarBaby]

OK, show of hands: Who believes that a US Marine Corp F-35, or whatever it was/is, flying a mile or so from Charleston Air Force Base, was not being tracked by air control radar? The entire eastern seaboard is covered by so much radar the folks don’t have to turn on their microwave ovens. And who believes that, even a super stealthy, sneaky, low profile, aircraft, wasn’t on the flight control screen when it’s still in the pattern? Going to have to put on my tall barn boots to wade thru the cheap krap with this?

[xone]

I don’t know the syllabus for the F-35, but if its transponder wasn’t on and the tower crew didn’t see it I don’t think it is out of the realm of possibility. Sneaking around is probably part of the syllabus. Would explain why they were looking for it. Doesn’t explain being on autopilot at 1K and having to punch out.

[niteowl77]

I can believe wreckage MIGHT have been hard to spot by Eyeball, Mark 1 in a "swamp spruce" area once the plane was on the ground (assuming no flames or smoke), but yeah... an "X" airport adjacent to a joint base facility lets a current top o' the line bird with the deluxe trim package disappear for that length of time? (insert game show buzzer sound) No.

OTOH, maybe we gave the Ukrainians all our radar assets along with the billions... which would make it all okay.

[Melian]

I think the Chinese took control of the craft and flew it to where they can study it.

[Axenolith]

Being “stealth”, wouldn’t it need to have a transponder on to register on the civilian ATC radar?