$60M jet slid off carrier into Red Sea, Navy says

An F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter jet sunk on Monday after falling off an aircraft carrier in the Red Sea, the U.S. Navy said. The jet was being towed by a tractor that also fell into the sea. One sailor was minorly injured in the incident, the Navy said. Super Hornet jets cost about $60 million each, according to the U.S. Naval Institute.

Why did the jet fall overboard? The aircraft carrier, the USS Harry S. Truman, swerved to avoid fire from Houthi militants, an anonymous defense official told The Washington Post. The sudden turn caused the crew moving the jet to lose control of it. An investigation into the incident is underway, the Navy said.

How is the operation against the Houthis going? Since March 15, the U.S. military has killed soldiers and leaders of the Yemen-based terrorist group in over 800 targeted strikes, according to a Sunday release from U.S. Central Command. The strikes destroyed weapons and missile-launching facilities the Houthis used to attack international shipping lanes. The Houthis’ ballistic missile attacks have dropped by 69% since the operation began, Central Command said. The Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier heads up one strike group in the operation. The group is also stopping supplies from reaching the Houthis, Central Command said Monday.

Has a similar incident happened recently? The Navy lost another Super Hornet jet in the Red Sea in December 2024, when it was shot down in a friendly fire incident. A guided-missile cruiser, the USS Gettysburg, fired on the jet as it launched from the deck of the Harry S. Truman. The jet’s two aviators ejected safely, according to Stars and Stripes military news. 

Dig deeper: Read Lauren Canterberry’s recent report on the court case over President Trump’s ban on transgender service members.