A US Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter jet plunged into the Red Sea on Monday after the towing crew “lost control” during operations in the hangar bay of the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier. The incident occurred while the carrier was reportedly evading Houthi fire in the Red Sea.
According to reports, the sailor inside the Super Hornet and the sailor driving the tow tractor escaped before the aircraft went overboard, with one sustaining a minor injury. The Navy referred to the incident as an accident during a towing operation, but analysts suggested it may have been triggered by a more serious cause.
“It implies a #Houthi
missile evaded detection &/or interception & got close enough to USS Truman to force an emergency evasive manoeuvre,” said Charles Lister, senior fellow at the Middle East Institute. “This is alarming”.
The USS Harry S. Truman has been operating in the Red Sea for months, carrying out airstrikes against Houthi targets. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has expressed concerns about the rebels’ growing missile and drone capabilities.
The incident has raised questions about the effectiveness of US ship defences against Houthi attacks. The Navy has not commented on whether a missile threat triggered the movement leading to the jet’s loss. An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the incident.
The loss of the $60 million Super Hornet has significant implications for the US military’s operations in the region. The USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group and air wing “remain fully mission capable,” according to the Navy.
The Houthis have claimed to have launched a drone and missile attack on the aircraft carrier, and have announced a ban on US vessels passing through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, southern Red Sea, Arabian Sea, and Gulf of Aden ¹ ² ³.