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The U.S. Navy confirmed on April 28, 2025, that its F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter jet, valued at around $70 million, fell overboard from the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier while it was being towed in the hangar bay.

The dramatic incident occurred at a time when the carrier strike group was taking evasive maneuvers to avoid a Houthi missile and drone attack in the Red Sea. The Truman Carrier Strike Group has been deployed in the region as part of a larger U.S. military effort to counter escalating threats from Houthi rebels in Yemen.

“All personnel aboard are accounted for, and one sailor sustained a minor injury,” the Navy said in its official statement. “The F/A-18E was actively under tow in the hangar bay when the move crew lost control of the aircraft. The aircraft and tow tractor were lost overboard. Sailors towing the aircraft took immediate action to move clear of the aircraft before it fell overboard. An investigation is underway.”

The jet fell during high-speed maneuvering

A U.S. official disclosed to some media outlets that the aircraft carrier was executing a high-speed turn to evade incoming fire from Houthi forces when the incident occurred. Although the exact nature of the turn has not been revealed, the maneuver was significant enough to result in the loss of control over the towed aircraft.

Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for the attack on Monday, alleging that they launched both drone and missile strikes targeting the Harry S. Truman, which has been conducting offensive operations against the group’s assets in Yemen.

Nimitz-class carriers like the Harry S. Truman stretch nearly 1,100 feet in length and displace close to 100,000 tons; however, despite their enormous size, these vessels are surprisingly agile at sea. The Navy confirmed that the aircraft had sunk.

Each F/A-18E Super Hornet carries an estimated cost of $67.4 million, according to Navy Air Systems Command, however, the actual price tag of the fallen jet remains undisclosed.

Not the first incident

This is not the first time Harry S. Truman has experienced issues involving its fighter jets. In July 2022, an F/A-18 Super Hornet was lost off the coast of Naples, Italy, after being blown overboard by unexpectedly strong winds.

More recently, in December 2024, another Super Hornet was shot down over the Red Sea in a “friendly fire” incident when the cruiser USS Gettysburg mistakenly fired upon the jet. Both pilots ejected safely in that instance.

The Harry S. Truman has seen a steady increase in risk-laden engagements during its deployment in the Red Sea. In February 2025, the carrier collided with a merchant ship near Egypt. Although no injuries were reported at the time, the incident added to the growing list of operational hazards faced by the strike group.

US Navy’s operations in the Red Sea

In the broader operational theater, other U.S. Navy assets have also come under fire from Houthi missiles. In early 2024, a U.S. destroyer deployed its Phalanx Close-In Weapon System, essentially the last line of defense, when a cruise missile came within a mile of impact, illustrating the persistent and growing threat environment in the region.

The Navy stressed on Monday that the Truman Carrier Strike Group “remains fully mission capable.” The group consists of the Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier, nine squadrons of Carrier Air Wing 1, three guided-missile destroyers from Destroyer Squadron 28, and the Ticonderoga-class cruiser USS Gettysburg.

The military mission in the Red Sea escalated in late 2023 when the U.S. Navy began intercepting Houthi-launched attacks targeting commercial shipping bound for Israel, which the rebel group has cited as retaliation for Israel’s military actions in Gaza.

In recent weeks, the Houthis have claimed several attacks against both U.S. Navy ships and merchant vessels navigating the strategically vital Red Sea corridor. The Pentagon has not confirmed all the group’s claims but has acknowledged repeated hostile engagements.

The Navy has launched an investigation into the recent aircraft loss to determine whether protocol or equipment failure contributed to the mishap, or whether the evasive maneuvers alone were solely responsible.

The incident underscores the mounting dangers faced by U.S. forces operating in increasingly hostile waters and raises questions about the long-term sustainability of high-tempo naval operations in the Red Sea.

For now, the Harry S. Truman continues its operations, bearing the strain of combat, complex maneuvering, and heightened threat levels as tensions in the Middle East remain volatile.