PULSE POINTS:
❓What Happened: An F/A-18 Super Hornet fell off the USS Harry S. Truman for the second time in a week, ending up in the Red Sea. This second incident appears to have been caused by an equipment failure on the vessel’s deck.
👥 Who’s Involved: The aircraft’s pilot and weapons systems officer ejected safely, sustaining minor injuries. No flight deck personnel were harmed.
📍 Where & When: The incident occurred in the Red Sea on May 6, 2025, following a similar incident in late April.
💬 Key Quote: “Both aviators safely ejected and were rescued by a helicopter assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 11. The aviators were evaluated by medical personnel and assessed to have minor injuries. No flight deck personnel were injured,” a defense official said.
⚠️ Impact: The loss of the jet, valued at approximately $66 million, adds to a series of mishaps for the USS Harry S. Truman over the past year.
IN FULL:
In a troubling repeat occurrence, an F/A-18 Super Hornet has fallen from the USS Harry S. Truman into the Red Sea, marking the second such incident in a week. The pilot and weapons systems officer aboard the aircraft were compelled to eject after a failed arrestment, resulting in minor injuries. The two were promptly rescued by a helicopter, according to a defense official.
The mishap reportedly involved a failure of the tail hook to catch the arresting wire, a critical component in safely landing the aircraft on the carrier deck. This failure caused the jet to accelerate uncontrollably towards the bow and ultimately into the water.
“Both aviators safely ejected and were rescued by a helicopter assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 11,” a defense official said regarding the incident, adding: “The aviators were evaluated by medical personnel and assessed to have minor injuries. No flight deck personnel were injured.”
This latest aircraft loss involving the USS Harry S. Truman follows another in late April, where a similar aircraft slid overboard while being towed in the hangar bay. Some sources suggested the first loss occurred after the crew lost control during evasive maneuvers against Yemen’s Houthi militants. The financial implications are significant, with each F/A-18E valued at approximately $66 million.
The USS Harry S. Truman has faced a string of operational challenges over the past year. Notably, the vessel collided with a merchant ship near the Suez Canal in February, resulting in a change of command. Additionally, an F/A-18 fighter jet was mistakenly fired upon by another American aircraft carrier in December.