A U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II stealth fighter jet experienced a fiery mishap while operating on the flightline at the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, in San Diego, California, on July 31.

Emergency crews responded to the accident scene at around 10 a.m. PT on Friday, a spokesperson for the base told The Epoch Times.

The pilot of the aircraft managed to eject and has since been taken to a local medical facility for treatment for non-life-threatening injuries.

The aircraft was assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3d Marine Aircraft Wing.

As of 2026, 20 nations have placed orders for the three production variants of the F-35, and more than 1,340 have been delivered, according to the manufacturer, Lockheed Martin.

The Marine Corps operates two variants of the Lightning II stealth fighter: the F-35B, the short takeoff and vertical landing variant; and the F-35C, the carrier variant.

The U.S. Navy also operates the F-35C, while the U.S. Air Force operates the F-35A.

A Ukrainian-operated F-16 Fighting Falcon also crashed this week. The Ukrainian Air Force said the aircraft was flying a combat mission to intercept Russian aerial targets when an emergency situation led the pilot to eject.

Lockheed Martin currently manufactures the F-16.

A crew of eight military personnel and government contractors was killed in June when a B-52 Stratofortress bomber crashed just after takeoff from Edwards Air Force Base in Kern County, California. The bomber was assigned to the Air Force’s 412th Test Wing.

This is a developing story and will be updated with additional details.