Over the past few weeks, the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman and its embarked Air Wing have been at the forefront of U.S. strikes against Houthi-controlled targets in Yemen. Most of these operations are being carried out by F/A-18 Super Hornet and F-35C fighter jets, as well as electronic warfare aircraft. However, the American capital ship has also become a target of attacks by the Iran-backed group. In the most recent incident reported to date, it has been confirmed that the carrier lost one of its fighter jets.
According to official information released by the U.S. Navy, during its operational deployment in the Middle East, an 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.” The statement added: “Sailors towing the aircraft took immediate action to move clear of the aircraft before it fell overboard. An investigation is underway.”
Although the official statement did not elaborate further, U.S. media outlets contacted Navy spokespersons following reports that began circulating, suggesting the aircraft went overboard while the USS Harry S. Truman was conducting evasive maneuvers to avoid a Houthi attack.
This version was made public by CNN journalist Natasha Bertrand, who was the first to report that the Super Hornet was lost because the carrier had to maneuver evasively to dodge an assault by the Houthis, reportedly involving drones and various types of missiles.
Despite their massive displacement—103,000 tons at full load—Nimitz-class nuclear aircraft carriers are capable of executing sharp, high-speed turns during evasive maneuvers against different types of threats.
This is the second Super Hornet lost since the USS Harry S. Truman began operations in the Middle East. The first occurred last December, when an F/A-18F was mistakenly shot down in a friendly fire incident by missiles launched from the cruiser USS Gettysburg.
Additionally, it is worth mentioning a separate incident in mid-February, when the carrier collided with a commercial vessel in the Mediterranean. The incident caused minor damage that had to be repaired in Greece.
With limited details available, it can only be inferred that the Houthis are refining their tactics and methods of deploying asymmetric weapons, with U.S. aircraft carriers as their top priority targets. These carriers are typically shielded by other platforms such as destroyers and cruisers within the Carrier Strike Group.
The fact that the USS Harry S. Truman had to resort to such evasive maneuvers—resulting in the loss of one of its embarked aircraft—suggests a failure or gap in the defensive system protecting the carrier. This is now the subject of internal investigation and analysis by the U.S. Navy, and also serves as a warning to review and strengthen air defense protocols against the diverse threats that the Iran-backed Houthis continue to deploy in the Red Sea.
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