Another multimillion-dollar F/A-18 Super Hornet has been lost from the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier, marking the second such catastrophic incident in barely a week.
According to multiple sources speaking to CNN, the latest jet went down in the Red Sea following what appears to be an arresting gear malfunction during landing.
The pilot and weapons systems officer were forced to eject and were later rescued, suffering only minor injuries. But the jet, valued at over $60 million, now rests on the ocean floor — unrecovered and unrecoverable.
This isn’t an isolated incident. Just last week, another F/A-18 fighter jet fell overboard from the Truman after a “hard turn” to allegedly dodge Iranian-backed Houthi missile fire. That’s two high-tech war machines gone in a matter of days.
According to the official report, the $60 million aircraft from Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 136, along with the tow tractor moving it, plunged overboard while the carrier operated in one of the world’s most strategically important waterways.
Both personnel managed to jump clear in time, with only one sustaining a minor injury, according to officials.
“The F/A-18E was actively under tow in the hangar bay when the move crew lost control of the aircraft. The aircraft and tow tractor were lost overboard,” the Navy said in a statement.
It continued, “Sailors towing the aircraft took immediate action to move clear of the aircraft before it fell overboard. An investigation is underway.”
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$60M Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet Falls Off USS Harry S. Truman Into the Red Sea
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