WASHINGTON, March 25 (UPI) -- The U.S. Air Force had no immediate word on the fate of the pilot of an F-22A fighter jet that crashed Wednesday near Edwards Air Force base in California.

The cutting-edge warplane was on a training flight when it went down in the high desert about 35 miles from Edwards.


The Air Force said in a brief written statement that the condition of the pilot, who was the only person on board, was not immediately known and it was not clear if the pilot had been located.

The F-22 Raptor is the United States' new front-line air dominance fighter. The aircraft runs around $187 million per copy.