Second Fighter Jet F/A-18 Super Hornet Lost from USS Harry S. Truman in Red Sea Incident
- Victor Nwoko
- May 6
- 2 min read
A second F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet operating from the USS Harry S. Truman has crashed into the Red Sea, marking the second such loss from the aircraft carrier in just over a week. According to sources familiar with the incident, the jet went down during a landing attempt due to what appears to be an arrestment failure. The pilot and weapons systems officer onboard ejected safely and were rescued by a helicopter. Both crew members sustained only minor injuries.
The fighter jet was lost to the sea and has not yet been recovered. An investigation is ongoing to determine the exact cause of the mishap.
The incident occurred on the same day that the Iran-backed Houthi rebel group reportedly attempted to strike the Harry S. Truman, despite public statements that a ceasefire had been reached. It remains unclear whether the attempted strike and the jet crash are connected.
This latest mishap comes just a week after another F/A-18 was lost from the Truman. In that case, reports indicated that a sudden evasive maneuver by the carrier to avoid Houthi missile fire contributed to the jet going overboard.
Each F/A-18 Super Hornet is estimated to cost over $60 million. The repeated loss of such high-value military assets is raising concerns about operational safety and readiness during the Truman’s current deployment.
The Harry S. Truman and other U.S. naval forces in the Red Sea have faced near-continuous threats since November 2023, when Houthi militants began targeting commercial and military vessels in the region. In one early 2024 incident, a U.S. Navy destroyer had to activate its Phalanx Close-In Weapon System — a last-resort missile defense — as a Houthi cruise missile approached within a mile of impact.
The Truman’s deployment has faced a series of complications. In December 2023, another F/A-18 operating from the carrier was mistakenly targeted by the USS Gettysburg and crashed into the Red Sea. The aviators safely ejected. Then in February 2024, the Truman collided with a merchant ship near Egypt in the Mediterranean Sea. That incident led to the dismissal of the carrier’s then-commanding officer, Captain Dave Snowden. He was replaced by Captain Christopher Hill shortly afterward.
The string of incidents highlights the challenges faced by U.S. naval forces during high-stakes operations in contested regions like the Red Sea.
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