US Navy’s $70M Fighter Jet Falls Overboard In Red Sea, 1 Crew Injured

A US Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet Fighter jet and a tow tractor lost control and fell overboard from the USS Harry S Truman (CVN 75) while the carrier was operating in the Red Sea on April 28.

The aircraft was under tow in the hangar bay when the move crew lost control. Both the jet and the tractor went overboard. One sailor sustained a minor injury, but everyone was safe.

The Navy confirmed the incident in an official statement, stating that the aircraft was being moved when the mishap occurred.

According to initial reports cited by US officials, the Truman may have been conducting evasive manoeuvres to avoid incoming missile or drone threats from Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who have actively targeted US naval assets in the region.

Though the Navy’s public statement did not mention enemy fire, multiple defense sources told CNN and The War Zone that a sharp turn by the carrier might have led to the loss.

A former US Navy captain explained to the media that carriers use “zig-zag” tactics involving sharp 30 to 40 degree turns to evade missile attacks, which can cause instability for equipment inside.

The jet, valued at over $67 million according to Navy estimates, has not been recovered. It remains unclear whether the aircraft was carrying weapons at the time or if a recovery operation is being planned.

In July 2022, another F/A-18 went overboard due to sudden weather conditions near Italy.

A similar aircraft was accidentally shot down in a friendly fire incident involving the USS Gettysburg (CG 64) in the Red Sea in December 2024. Both pilots got out safely.

The USS Harry S Truman is currently leading a carrier strike group conducting operations in the Middle East.

The group consists of the aircraft carrier, three guided missile destroyers of Destroyer Squadron 28, nine squadrons of Carrier Air Wing 1, and the USS Gettysburg.

Despite the latest incident, the Navy stated that the strike group and its embarked air wing remain fully mission capable.

The Truman has been involved in US military operations against the Houthi rebels since March, following an increase in attacks on Red Sea shipping lanes. These hostilities intensified after the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Hamas.

Since mid-March, US Central Command has confirmed over 800 strikes targeting Houthi infrastructure in Yemen.

In response, the militant group has vowed to escalate attacks against US naval forces unless what they describe as Israeli “aggression” in Gaza ends.

The ongoing threat from Houthi drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic projectiles has kept US Navy vessels on high alert, with close-in defense systems frequently used to intercept missiles nearing impact range.

One destroyer had to engage a Houthi cruise missile when it came within a mile of the ship in early 2024.

Reference: US Navy

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