The U.S. Navy recovered the wreckage of an F-35 Lightning II jet fighter that crashed into the South China Sea in January. U.S. 7th Fleet’s Task Force 75 and Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) recovered the aircraft from a depth of about 12,400 feet on March 2, according to a Wednesday announcement by the Navy. The aircraft was recovered using a remotely operated vehicle that attached specialized rigging and lift lines to the aircraft. Another vessel then used a crane to lower a hook to the seafloor and connect it to that rigging, ultimately lifting the aircraft to the surface and hoisting it onboard. “Ultimately, this deliberate approach resulted in the correct capabilities conducting recovery operations within 37 days of the incident,” said Captain Gareth Healy, Commodore of Task Force 75. “Given the unique challenges of this problem and the unique technical capabilities that NAVSEA delivered, this was an aggressive and …