Why Are People Making Memes About A Fighter Jet? The Missing F-35 Stealth Plane Explained

The U.S. military briefly lost a state-of-the-art stealth fighter jet earlier this week, with the pilot reportedly ejecting from a plane that was on autopilot. The new planes, which are made by Lockheed Martin and cost over $80 million each, are meant to be undetectable stealth machines, but this resulted in the U.S. military being unable to track its own plane, however briefly.

The bizarre incident lit up social media with memes about the possible location of the jet, and the hilarious fact that an $80 million plane could go "missing." Here's a recap of how the internet reacted to the Missing F-35 Fighter Jet.

What Happened With The Missing F-35 Fighter Jet?

On Sunday, September 17th, 2023, a pilot from the Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron reportedly ejected from the jet he was flying. Specifically, the pilot ejected from an F-35B Lightning II, a new stealth fighter jet the military has spent over $1.7 trillion to develop.

But by Monday it became clear that the F-35 jet was still missing, last seen still airborne thanks to the plane's autopilot function after the pilot ejected from it. The US Marines put out a public statement asking Americans in the South Carolina region to report any sightings of the plane. Remains from the plane's crash were located later on Monday.

How Did People React To The Missing F-35 Fighter Jet?

Initial reactions to the missing F-35 fighter jet grappled with the undeniable irony of the situation, with X user @DaSkrubKing noting the hilarity in a viral post. Another X user joked about the then-still missing plane by photoshopping it to be stuck in the Suez Canal.

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Memes about the missing jet continued to spread on the internet before it was found later on Monday, with some internet users joking about the possible location of the jet, while others found the idea of losing it in the first place quite hilarious.

What Are Some Memes About The Missing F-35 Fighter Jet?

For the full history of memes about the Missing F-35 Fighter Jet, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.