USS Harry S. Truman Faces Third Super Hornet Loss

In an unfortunate turn of events, a US Super Hornet fighter plane plummeted from the USS Harry S. Truman while stationed in the Red Sea on Tuesday, according to confirmations from a US defense official communicated to Business Insider.

This marks the second such incident involving the Truman in just over a week and the third during its current mission. Each Super Hornet has an estimated price tag of approximately $60 million.

While attempting to land on the Truman's flight deck, the F/A-18F suffered an arresting gear failure which led to it falling overboard. Fortunately, both aviators ejected safely and were brought to safety by an MH-60S Seahawk helicopter.

Aircraft carriers in the Navy are equipped with catapults for launch purposes and cables for landing recovery. These cables are designed to bring aircraft to a quick halt during landing. The specifics of what went wrong during this landing are not clear.

The officials stated, 'The aviators were given medical checks and found to have sustained only minor injuries. Importantly, no injuries were reported among flight deck personnel.'

Series of Misfortunes for Truman

CNN brought attention to this mishap, the latest in a succession of difficulties confronting the Truman and its strike unit.

On April 28th, a sequence of events led to an F/A-18E and a tow tractor accidentally slipping into the Red Sea from the Truman amid a relocation procedure. A sailor, who managed to jump out of the cockpit just before the fighter went overboard, sustained minor injuries.

Another incident in February involved a collision with a substantial commercial vessel in the Mediterranean Sea. This incident resulted in the dismissal of the carrier's commanding officer.

Back in December, an incident involved the missile cruiser USS Gettysburg, also part of the Truman's group, mistakenly shooting down a Super Hornet in what was described as 'an apparent case of friendly fire' by the US military. Thankfully, both pilots ejected safely.

Engagements in Yemen

The Truman has been actively involved in operations against the Iran-supported Houthis in Yemen. The jet incident occurred amidst President Donald Trump's announcement to conclude a seven-week-long bombing campaign against the rebels.