ABOARD THE USS HARRY S. TRUMAN — A $60 million F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter jet was lost to the depths of the Red Sea on April 28, after a towing mishap sent it tumbling off the deck of the USS Harry S. Truman. The Navy’s calling it a rare and costly blunder, one that unfolded in the chaos of operations against Houthi rebels.
The incident happened as the massive aircraft carrier, nearly 1,100 feet of American steel, was maneuvering through contested waters. The jet, assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron 136, was being towed across the hangar bay when the crew lost control. A sharp turn by the Truman, meant to dodge reported Houthi drone and missile fire, sent the aircraft—and the tow tractor pulling it—careening overboard. The jet sank, and the Navy’s not saying whether they’ll try to fish it out of the sea.
All sailors are accounted for, though one took a minor hit, treated on the spot. The crew towing the plane scrambled to safety as it slid off the deck. An investigation’s already underway to piece together how a routine tow job turned into a multi-million-dollar disaster. The Navy’s tight-lipped about the details, but the carrier’s agility, surprising for a 100,000-ton behemoth, played a role in the jet’s plunge.
The Truman’s been in the Red Sea as part of a beefed-up U.S. push against the Iran-backed Houthis, who claimed a drone and missile attack on the carrier that same day. No word on whether the jet’s loss was directly tied to enemy action, but the timing’s raising eyebrows. The F/A-18E, a workhorse of naval aviation, doesn’t come cheap—each one’s worth over $60 million, a figure that stings even for the Pentagon’s deep pockets.
The Navy’s released a brief statement confirming the loss, and an April 28 update noted the investigation’s moving fast. For now, the Truman’s still steaming ahead, its crew focused on the mission despite the setback. The jet’s gone, the tractor’s gone, and the Red Sea’s got a pricey new piece of wreckage on its floor.