A U.S. Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet crashed into the Red Sea late Tuesday after a failed arrestment attempt during a night landing on the USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75). The $70 million fighter jet was lost, but both the pilot and weapon systems officer survived after ejecting using the Martin-Baker US14A (NACES) ejection seat system. The aircraft remains unrecovered.
Tensions on Deck as Truman Faces Heavy Workload
This is the second Super Hornet loss for the Truman in just under two weeks. On April 28, another F/A-18 was written off after a ground-handling incident while the carrier executed maneuvers to avoid incoming Houthi missiles and drones. (RELATED: Our Military Needs Enemy-Made Parts — Here’s Why)
For more than a year, the Houthis have been firing anti-ship ballistic missiles and cruise missiles, and launching attack drones targeting commercial and military ships in the Red Sea, in what the militia group has described as a show of solidarity with Gaza residents and Hamas.
On Tuesday, the United States and the Houthis in Yemen reached a deal to halt American airstrikes against the group after it agreed to cease attacks against American vessels in the Red Sea.
“They have capitulated, but more importantly, we will take their word,” President Trump said. “They say they will not be blowing up ships anymore.”
The chief Pentagon spokesman, Sean Parnell, said in a statement that the loss of the fighter jet on Tuesday was under investigation and that “the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group remains fully mission-capable.”
Since September 2024, the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier has conducted nonstop operations in the Red Sea, executing strike missions and fending off waves of Houthi attacks. Naval experts suggest the relentless pace of operations may be pushing both personnel and equipment to the limit.
Ceasefire Announcement, Continued Threats
Ironically, Tuesday’s mishap occurred hours after the United States and Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthis announces a ceasefire, halting U.S. airstrikes and Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait. The agreement, brokered by Oman, was first announced by President Trump, who stated that the Houthis had “capitulated.” (RELATED: Militant Group Responds To Trump’s Surprise Announcement)
Despite the ceasefire, hostilities between the Houthis and Israel persist. Senior Houthi official Abdul Salam declared that the group — recently designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization — will continue supporting Palestinians in Gaza.
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Big difference between ‘downed’ and ‘crashed’!