2 US jets fall from aircraft carrier, 3rd shot down

Two fighter jets, an F/A-18F Super Hornet and an F/A-18E Super Hornet, were recently lost in the Red Sea while operating from the US aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman, as part of a series of worrying incidents on the heels of operations against the Houthi rebels in Yemen.

A Navy fighter jet failed to land on an aircraft carrier and plummeted into the Red Sea on Tuesday, marking the fourth major mishap involving the vessel and the third loss of a fighter jet deployed with it since the warship left home last year.

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost.com) 2025-05-07T12:09:20.918Z

On April 28, an F/A-18E Super Hornet was lost at sea while being towed onto the deck of the aircraft carrier.

While the USS Harry S. Truman was the target of a Houthi missile and drone attack, a sudden evasive maneuver by the tractor towing the fighter caused the aircraft and vehicle to fall into the sea, causing minor injuries to a crew member.

On May 6, just a few days later, another fighter jet fell into the sea from the aircraft carrier, this time due to a failure of undetermined origin that prevented the arresting system from functioning properly during the landing of an F/A-18F Super Hornet.

This second incident also resulted in minor injuries, as both pilots had to eject before the aircraft hit the water.

In December, an F/A-18F was accidentally hit by an SM-2 missile fired from the cruiser USS Gettysburg, a member of the same battle group as the Truman. Both pilots survived. In February, the USS Truman collided with a freighter near the Suez Canal, causing a breach above the waterline. The ship’s captain was relieved of his command.

The loss of three fighter jets in less than six months, combined with a collision at sea and a fratricidal firing incident, raises questions about the safety of operations aboard the Truman. These events come against a backdrop of heightened tensions in the Red Sea, where US forces are engaged in complex and dangerous operations.

This content was created with the help of AI.