A string of dramatic incidents has put the USS Harry S. Truman, one of America’s most powerful aircraft carriers, in the spotlight. In just over a week, two Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jets have been lost in the Red Sea during attempted landings on the Truman, forcing pilots to eject and be rescued by helicopter. Both crews survived with minor injuries, but the jets now rest at the bottom of the sea
The most recent mishap occurred on May 6, when an arresting gear failure caused a jet to overshoot the flight deck and plunge into the water. Just days earlier, another Super Hornet fell overboard while being towed into the hangar bay. These incidents follow a December event when a Truman-based jet was accidentally shot down by a Navy cruiser during tense operations against Houthi rebels
The Truman Carrier Strike Group has been deployed for months, launching airstrikes against Iran-backed Houthi fighters in Yemen as part of Operation Rough Rider. With three jets lost on this deployment alone, the Navy faces urgent questions about operational safety and the risks of high-tempo missions in contested waters
As investigations continue, recovery efforts are complicated by ongoing threats in the region. The fate of the lost aircraft-and the sensitive technology aboard-remains uncertain.
