Crashed F-35 was the first one assembled by Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy - official

The Lockheed Martin F-35 aircraft that crashed over the Pacific Ocean near northern Japan was the first one to have been assembled by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, an Air Self Defence Force official told Reuters on Wednesday.

The aircraft that crashed on Tuesday was the fifth F-35 delivered to Japan’s Air Self Defence Force (ASDF), adding that the first four had been used in training in the United States before being brought over.

A representative for Mitsubishi Heavy said the company had no immediate comment.

The F-35 had been in the air for 28 minutes when contact was lost, the official said, adding that the pilot had not reported any problems with the aircraft before contact was lost.