Congressman Robert J. Wittman | Official US House headshots
Congressman Robert J. Wittman | Official US House headshots
May 29, 2024
WASHINGTON – Congressman Rob Wittman (R-VA), vice chairman of the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) and chairman of the Tactical Air and Land Forces (TAL) Subcommittee, released a statement following reports of an F-35 fighter jet crashing off the airfield at Albuquerque International Sunport.
“I am incredibly grateful to the first responders who promptly aided the pilot after this crash and relieved to hear the pilot is in stable condition. I am praying for the pilot and their family as they undergo treatment for serious injuries," Wittman said.
He continued, “Any crash of our military aircraft is of utmost concern. While we know that expanding F-35 test capacity is the first step to fundamental F-35 transformation, this incident exacerbates the already urgent need to expand it. That’s why I authored an amendment in this year’s National Defense Authorization Act to increase F-35 test capacity by 50%, ensuring that the U.S. military can accelerate tests associated with our nation’s largest defense acquisition program.”
Wittman concluded by noting, “This incident will undoubtedly cause a technical setback for F-35 modernization and warrants an extensive and thorough investigation to determine the exact cause of this crash.”
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