Fully grounded!, US Marine Corps
According to reports, on September 17th, a US Marine Corps F-35B stealth fighter went missing after its pilot ejected it. On September 18th, the US military finally found the wreckage of the aircraft.
Due to this being the third major plane crash that has occurred in the United States Marine Corps in the past month and a half, the Marine Corps announced on September 18th that all aircraft, including those of foreign troops, will be grounded.
The cause of the crash has not been found yet
Data image: F-35B fighter jet
According to reports, the wreckage of the crashed F-35B fighter jet was found about two hours northeast of the US military's Charleston Joint Base, but the US Marine Corps has not released any other information on the cause of the incident. This is the fourth crash that has occurred since the F-35B entered service.
Military observer Du Wenlong stated that F-35B accidents occur frequently, but the US military is currently at a loss for technical malfunctions.
![Fully grounded!, US Marine Corps](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/79d9d11921ae45554db059fff1a857c3.jpg)
Du Wenlong:
The plane crash may be due to engine problems. The F-35B is a single engine fighter jet. Once there is a problem with the deviation of the tail nozzle angle during takeoff, landing, and flight, the aircraft's attitude becomes abnormal, and the pilot feels powerless to control it, they will choose to abandon the aircraft. Additionally, it is possible that there is an issue with the fighter's flight control software. These mechanical problems are still unclear in the United States.
Although multiple F-35Bs have crashed, the US military has no idea where the problem lies and is unable to make targeted improvements or corrections.
Accelerating transformation but reaping its own consequences
Source image: Eric Smith, Acting Commander of the United States Marine Corps
According to reports, Eric Smith, acting commander of the United States Marine Corps, announced on September 18th that the service will be completely grounded to adjust safety procedures.
![Fully grounded!, US Marine Corps](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/a3d2f4ac731020e129df3d4290bd5751.png)
Du Wenlong stated that it is not uncommon for the US military to issue a grounding order after such major accidents occur, but it is not normal for the US Marine Corps to experience a series of safety accidents. This is also the result of their eagerness for quick success and blind pursuit of accelerating transformation.
Du Wenlong:
In recent years, the United States Marine Corps has engaged in vicious competition with other branches of the military. The United States still regards the Marine Corps as the vanguard of overseas operations to cultivate and use, so whether it is transformation or upgrading of weapons and equipment, they are very impatient. Equipment that has not been fully demonstrated before has become the core and backbone.
Under the pressure of the United States' "great power competition" strategy and overseas military expansion, the US Marine Corps has to take some emergency and hasty measures to accelerate the grafting of capabilities that do not belong to itself. Therefore, recent equipment adjustments and ground operations will become the norm.
The development prospects are worrying
Data chart: United States Marine Corps
![Fully grounded!, US Marine Corps](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/036f0454add4a4306ec6cd6a3b3fb5dd.jpg)
In June of this year, the US Marine Corps released an updated version of Force Design 2030, abandoning the inflexible heavy weapons of land warfare and emphasizing the construction of unmanned equipment, long-range missiles, and aviation.
In Du Wenlong's view, the current positioning of the US Marine Corps is awkward and may lead to mutual constraints and vicious competition with other branches of the military in future construction and development.
Du Wenlong:
The US Marine Corps currently basically cuts the Army, Navy, and Air Force into a "four different" branch, competing for military expenses with other branches and overlapping combat tasks. If the US Marine Corps wants to break free from the role of the US Second Army, it will have to take all the jobs of the Air Force and Navy. However, this will also squeeze the related construction of the Navy and Air Force.
Other branches of the US military can completely replace the comprehensive functions of the Marine Corps by quickly responding to the special operations and miniaturization of combat forces. So, the next direction for the development of the US Marine Corps is a big question.