With less regulations and a decapitated Pentagon, Donald Dumb and Pete Hegseth are cumulating mistakes and indulging in incompetence. Three F-18s have been tossed in the ocean in five months: close to $200 million "lost".
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Second US Navy jet is lost at sea from Truman aircraft carrier
Natasha Bertrand, Katie Bo Lillis and Zachary Cohen, CNN
Wed, May 7, 2025
A US Navy aircraft carrier in the Red Sea fight just lost a third Super Hornet. The $60 million jet went overboard on landing.
Jake Epstein, Business Insider
Wed, May 7, 2025
This May 2 photo from the US Navy shows a F/A-18F Super Hornet preparing for launch on the USS Harry S. Truman. - US Navy/File
Another F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet from the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier has been lost in the Red Sea, the second jet lost from the carrier in just over a week, five people familiar with the matter told CNN.
It is not entirely clear what happened yet, as the investigation is ongoing, but two of the people said there was some kind of arrestment failure as the jet was trying to land on the carrier and the pilot and weapons systems officer had to eject. They were recovered by a rescue helicopter and are both alive, but they suffered minor injuries, one of the people said.
The jet crashed into the sea and has not been recovered, two of the people familiar with the incident said.
Separately, the Iran-backed Houthi rebel group “took a shot” at the Truman on Tuesday, four of the people said, despite President Donald Trump announcing an apparent ceasefire with the group hours earlier. It is not clear whether the two incidents are related.
The Office of the Secretary of Defense referred all questions about the incidents to the Navy and US Central Command. CNN has reached out to the Navy and CENTCOM for comment.
The loss of the fighter jet comes one week after another F/A-18 jet fell overboard the Truman. That time, initial reports indicated that the Truman made a hard turn to evade Houthi fire, which contributed to the fighter jet falling overboard.
An individual F/A-18 fighter jet costs more than $60 million, according to the Navy.
US Naval assets in the Red Sea have repeatedly come under Houthi fire since the Houthis began their attacks against Red Sea shipping in November 2023. In early 2024, a US destroyer in the Red Sea had to use its Phalanx Close-In Weapon System, its last line of defense to missile attacks, when a Houthi-fired cruise missile got as near as a mile away – and therefore seconds from impact.
The Truman aircraft carrier in particular, though, has been plagued with problems as part of its Red Sea deployment. In December, another F/A-18 fighter jet was operating from the Truman when it was “mistakenly fired” upon by the USS Gettysburg and crashed into the Red Sea. Both aviators ejected safely at the time.
Then, in February, the Truman was involved in a collision with a merchant ship near Egypt in the Mediterranean Sea. Following the incident, the commander of the Truman at the time, Captain Dave Snowden, was relieved of duty. Captain Christopher Hill took command of the carrier shortly thereafter.
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An F/A-18 fighter jet went overboard after trying to land on the USS Harry S. Truman on Tuesday.
It's the second Super Hornet that the aircraft carrier has lost in a little over a week and the third overall for this deployment.
F/A-18s are estimated to cost roughly $60 million apiece.
Another F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet fell off the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman and into the Red Sea on Tuesday, a US defense official confirmed to Business Insider.
It's the second fighter jet lost from the Truman in a little over a week, and the third of the carrier's deployment. Super Hornets are estimated to cost roughly $60 million apiece.
The F/A-18F was landing on the flight deck of the Truman on Tuesday when the arrestment failed, causing the fighter jet to go overboard, the official said. Both the aviators safely ejected and were rescued by an MH-60S Seahawk helicopter.
Navy aircraft carriers have catapults for launch and arresting gear for recovery. The thick cables help aircraft quickly decelerate on landing. It's unclear what exactly failed during Tuesday's recovery.
"The aviators were evaluated by medical personnel and assessed to have minor injuries," the official told BI, adding that "no flight deck personnel were injured."
The Truman has lost three F/A-18s since December.US Navy photo
CNN first reported on the incident, which was the latest in a series of mishaps for Truman and its strike group.
On April 28, an F/A-18E and a tow tractor fell off the Truman and into the Red Sea after a move crew lost control of the aircraft. A sailor who jumped from the cockpit just before the fighter jet went overboard was lightly hurt.
In February, the Truman collided with a large commercial vessel in the Mediterranean Sea, resulting in the firing of the carrier's commanding officer.
And in December, the missile cruiser USS Gettysburg, part of the Truman's strike group, shot down a Super Hornet in what the US military described as "an apparent case of friendly fire." Both aviators ejected safely.
The Truman has been deeply involved in combat operations against the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen. However, Tuesday's incident came as President Donald Trump said that the US would end a seven-week-long intensive bombing campaign against the rebels.
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