F-18 Fighter Jet Valued at $70M Falls Overboard from USS Harry S. Truman

The USS Harry S. Truman, currently leading America's charge against Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists in the Red Sea, lost a $70 million F/A-18 Super Hornet on Monday after a mishap on board the carrier. The fighter jet, along with a tow tractor, went overboard while being maneuvered inside a hangar bay.

The Navy reported that sailors took "immediate action" to clear the area, and thankfully, all personnel were accounted for, with only one sailor sustaining minor injuries. An investigation is underway into how a critical piece of American military hardware could be lost during basic deck operations.

The F/A-18 Super Hornet, valued at approximately $67.4 million, has long been a workhorse of U.S. naval aviation. This incident marks the latest in a troubling pattern:

• In July 2022, another Super Hornet was blown overboard from the Truman during heavy winds near Naples, Italy.

• In December 2024, yet another F/A-18 was shot down in a "friendly fire" incident over the Red Sea.

Despite the loss, military officials have confirmed that the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group remains fully mission-capable. The carrier, together with nine squadrons of Carrier Air Wing 1, three guided-missile destroyers from Destroyer Squadron 28, and the Ticonderoga-class cruiser USS Gettysburg, continues its operations without disruption.

This comes at a crucial time. Since March 15, President Donald Trump’s administration has led a bold and necessary campaign against the Houthis, pounding over 800 enemy targets across Yemen. The Houthis, acting in solidarity with Hamas after its October 7, 2023 massacre of over 1,200 Israelis, have relentlessly targeted U.S. and merchant vessels traversing the Red Sea. Iran's fingerprints are all over this escalation, yet Trump’s decisive military response has kept American forces on offense, not defense.

The recent attacks underscore a critical reality:

• Over 10% of the world's global trade flows through the Red Sea, making control over the region essential for international stability.

• The Houthi threats, if left unchecked, could drive up shipping costs by 30%, severely impacting American consumers and businesses.

• Strong American naval power is the only thing standing between safe passage and chaos.

While the Biden years were marked by retreat and weakness, Trump's aggressive posture reminds our enemies that America will not be bullied into submission. Yes, losing a $70 million fighter jet is costly. But the alternative a lawless Red Sea and emboldened Iranian terror proxies would cost far more.

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