Nevada Guard Saves Desert Wildlife in F-35 Recovery Mission

When an F-35 Lightning II crashed in the Mojave Desert this March, the recovery team faced an unusual challenge: the wreckage sat on protected U.S. Fish and Wildlife land home to endangered species.

Enter the Nevada Army National Guard's CH-47 Chinook helicopter crew. Over two trips in May, they airlifted the downed aircraft's wreckage from the site about 25 miles north of Las Vegas, avoiding any ground disturbance to the sensitive habitat below.

"Our Chinook fleet's geographical location in Nevada proves vital and reliable for response with heavy lift capabilities throughout the western U.S.," said Col. Michael Bordallo, Nevada Army National Guard State Aviation Officer. The pilot safely ejected before the March 30 crash and suffered only minor injuries.

The B Company, 1/189th General Support Aviation Battalion crew used sling loading techniques to transport equipment to the crash site and then carefully lift wreckage out. This approach left minimal environmental impact on federal lands that sit beneath the Nevada Test and Training Range airspace.

The operation required coordination between multiple agencies including Nellis Air Force Base, Creech Air Force Base, and federal contractors. The Nevada Guard's six Chinook helicopters regularly support missions across five western states, from Nevada to Utah.

The Ripple Effect

This mission highlights how different priorities can work together rather than compete. The same military readiness that protects national security became the solution for protecting endangered species habitat.

The Guard's heavy lift capabilities meant no roads needed cutting, no vehicles crushing desert soil, and no extended ground presence disturbing wildlife. What could have been an environmental crisis became a showcase of precision and care.

Nevada's Chinook operators bring this expertise to regular missions supporting naval and air force bases throughout the region. Their proficiency means they're ready when unusual situations demand creative solutions.

The recovery also demonstrated something often overlooked: the multifaceted skills military units bring to their communities. These aren't just combat helicopters but versatile tools for protecting what matters.

A crashed fighter jet recovered without harming the desert creatures below proves that with the right approach, we don't have to choose between readiness and responsibility.