“Murder hornets” took over social media with an empty threat of an invasion back in 2019. But now, the term is returning, and on the decks of American aircraft carriers in the Red Sea.
The Navy recently released a year-in-review factsheet titled “Delivering Warfighting Advantage.” A column dedicated to the service’s warfighting operations exists under the “Aviation” heading. It features the “Murder Hornet” configuration.
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This isn’t a new version of the F/A-18 Super Hornet. Rather, it’s a new weapons setup for air-to-air combat. It includes four AIM-9X Sidewinder short-range missiles and five AIM-120 advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles.
Developed for combat operations in the Red Sea, the loadout aims to give pilots a more potent punch in an area that has seen many enemy-launched drones.
F/A-18 Super Hornets launch from USS Dwight D. Eisenhower supporting strikes against on Iranian-Backed Houthi Targets on Feb. 24. pic.twitter.com/bTtRdsCkwg
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) February 25, 2024
The “Murder Hornet” configuration debuted last April during the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower flight operations in the Red Sea. The Eisenhower and its strike group had been in the region for several months, monitoring the situation after a series of attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels on shipping lanes near Yemen.
The Eisenhower is one of four carriers involved in countering Houthi operations. U.S. forces are routinely tasked with intercepting rebel drones and missiles. The Navy has reportedly successfully defended military and civilian ships from over 180 attacks in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
