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USS Truman loses 2nd $60M fighter jet to Red Sea in 8 days

Kalé Carey (Anchor), Shea Taylor (Producer)

Summary

Overboard jet

The U.S. military says a Super Hornet jet went overboard the USS Harry Truman into the Red Sea after a braking system failed on Tuesday.

Second incident in just days

It comes just 8 days after a different $67 million jet slid off the same aircraft carrier as it maneuvered to avoid threats from Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Fighting could end soon

President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday the U.S. had agreed to stop strikes against the Houthis as long as the militant group stops attacking American vessels.

For the second time in barely more than a week, a U.S. military jet was lost in the Red Sea after going overboard from the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier.
Image credit: United States Navy
This recording was made using enhanced software.

Summary

Overboard jet

The U.S. military says a Super Hornet jet went overboard the USS Harry Truman into the Red Sea after a braking system failed on Tuesday.

Second incident in just days

It comes just 8 days after a different $67 million jet slid off the same aircraft carrier as it maneuvered to avoid threats from Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Fighting could end soon

President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday the U.S. had agreed to stop strikes against the Houthis as long as the militant group stops attacking American vessels.

Full story

For the second time in just over a week, a U.S. military jet was lost in the Red Sea after going overboard from the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said the jet was landing on Tuesday, May 6, when the system that helps the aircraft stop on the runway failed, sending the multi-million dollar fighter jet into the sea.

What failed?

Military officials said based on initial reporting, it appears the tail hook failed to hook the wire that slows down the aircraft. That caused the jet to continue accelerating toward the bow upon landing, then go into the water.

Centcom said the two pilots who were on board the F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jet when the incident happened were able to eject before it went overboard. They suffered minor injuries and no one else was hurt.

Second incident in less than 2 weeks

This marks the second time in just eight days an incident like this has happened on the USS Harry Truman, which is stationed in the Red Sea as part of the U.S. response to attacks on the integral global shipping lane by Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Last week, a $67 million F/A-18E slid into the water while the ship was conducting evasive maneuvers in response to Houthi threats, according to a U.S. official. One sailor suffered minor injuries in connection with that incident.

Why is the Truman stationed in the Red Sea to begin with?

For more than a year, the Houthis have been firing projectiles and launching drones at commercial and military ships in the Red Sea. They have said it’s a show of solidarity and support for Hamas in Gaza.

The USS Truman is stationed there as part of the U.S.’ response to those attacks, which Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has said will be “unrelenting” until hostilities cease.

Since the beginning of the war in Gaza in October 2023, the Houthis have carried out more than a hundred attacks on vessels along the Red Sea shipping route.

When will the fighting end?

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump said the U.S. had reached a deal with the Houthis to halt American airstrikes against the group as long as it stops attacking American vessels in the Red Sea. 

Last week, Hegseth extended the Truman’s deployment for another week to support ongoing operations against the Houthis, marking the second extension since Trump ordered strikes against the militant group on March 15.

Jake Larsen (Video Editor) and Ally Heath (Senior Digital Producer) contributed to this report.
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Why this story matters

Recurring incidents involving U.S. military jets on the USS Harry S. Truman highlight operational risks and the ongoing challenges of maintaining a major military presence in the Red Sea amid regional tensions and ongoing attacks by Houthi rebels.

Operational safety

The repeated loss of fighter jets raises concerns about equipment maintenance, procedural safeguards, and the safety of military personnel aboard deployed naval vessels.

Red Sea security

The presence of the USS Harry S. Truman underscores persistent threats to global shipping lanes from Houthi attacks, as the U.S. and allies work to protect international maritime trade routes.

Geopolitical tensions

The continued conflict involving Houthi forces, U.S. military action and regional instability ties the incidents to broader geopolitical struggles linked to the ongoing war in Gaza and U.S. foreign policy decisions.

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Community reaction

Public discussions and reactions among military families and naval communities reflect concerns about operational safety aboard the USS Harry S. Truman. There is also broader scrutiny from taxpayer advocacy and defense policy groups, who question the loss of expensive military hardware and the implications for U.S. naval strategy in the Red Sea region.

Context corner

The USS Harry S. Truman has been deployed in the Red Sea as part of U.S. efforts to counter Houthi attacks on commercial and military shipping. This region has seen increased military activity since late 2023, with U.S. operations targeting Houthi forces in Yemen due to continued attacks on trade routes critical to global commerce.

Diverging views

While both left and right-leaning outlets report on the loss of the fighter jets, left-leaning articles emphasize the broader operational and logistical challenges aboard the Truman with references to prior mishaps and collisions. Right-leaning sources focus more on the monetary cost and link the incidents to ongoing threats from Houthi forces, underscoring enemy activity in the region.

Sources

  1. U.S. Central Command via X
  2. The New York Times

Bias comparison

  • Media outlets on the left frame the story by emphasizing military mishaps and operational challenges aboard the USS Harry S. Truman, using charged terms like “crashes,” “failure,” and “lost,” which spotlight risks, resource waste, and the hostile environment created by “Iran-backed Houthi rebels.”
  • Media outlets in the center blend factual neutrality, providing operational context like prior collisions and command changes absent from left narratives.
  • Media outlets on the right foreground the broader geopolitical context and U.S. Diplomatic successes, notably President Donald Trump’s role in achieving a “ceasefire,” while describing the jet loss as a “major setback” in a hostile theater, invoking terms like “terrorists” and “capitulated” to underscore triumph amid adversity.

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Media landscape

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201 total sources

Key points from the Left

  • A second F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet was lost in the Red Sea from the USS Harry S. Truman during a failed landing attempt on May 6, 2025, according to U.S. officials speaking to NBC News.
  • The two aviators aboard ejected safely and suffered minor injuries. They were rescued after the jet crashed into the Red Sea.
  • This incident follows a previous loss of an F/A-18E from the same carrier on April 28, which also occurred during a failed landing due to an arrestment issue, according to the Navy Chief of Information.
  • The investigation into both incidents is ongoing, with some sources indicating an arrestment failure as the cause of the crash, and reports of Houthi fire in the area complicating naval operations, according to CNN.

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Key points from the Center

  • A second U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet jet from the USS Harry S. Truman was lost at sea in the Red Sea on Tuesday after an arrestment failure during landing.
  • This loss follows a separate incident one week earlier when another F/A-18E jet fell overboard while being towed inside the Truman's hangar bay amid evasive maneuvers from a Houthi missile attack.
  • Both crew members safely ejected from the aircraft, were picked up by a rescue helicopter, and sustained only minor injuries, while the jet itself remains missing as the investigation continues.
  • The U.S. Navy values each F/A-18 aircraft at over $60 million, while the Truman carrier has encountered several difficulties during its deployment in the Red Sea amid persistent Houthi assaults.
  • The incidents underscore persistent tensions as the Iran-backed Houthi group continues targeting U.S. Naval assets, despite a newly declared ceasefire announced by President Trump earlier the same day.

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Key points from the Right

  • A US F/A-18 Super Hornet crashed into the Red Sea during a failed landing, marking the second plane lost from the USS Harry S. Truman in less than 10 days, according to a report.
  • Both pilots successfully ejected and were rescued with minor injuries after the crash, as confirmed by defense officials.
  • Another jet was lost from the USS Harry S. Truman when the crew lost control during an evasive maneuver against Houthi fire, according to the Department of Defense.
  • The USS Harry S. Truman has faced multiple incidents during its deployment in the Red Sea, with Houthi rebels contributing to ongoing tensions, as noted by CNN.

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Sources

  1. U.S. Central Command via X
  2. The New York Times