US Navy mishap: Super hornet downed in Red Sea mistake

While countering a missile-drone attack by Yemeni Houthi rebels on December 22 over the Red Sea, the American cruiser USS Gettysburg, which was escorting the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75), mistakenly engaged an F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircraft.

Fortunately, the two pilots managed to eject and were likely swiftly rescued by a rescue helicopter. Current reports indicate that only one of the pilots sustained minor injuries. The presence of two pilots suggests the aircraft was the two-seater F version of the F/A-18 Super Hornet, which includes a weapons systems officer alongside the pilot.

For months, Americans, along with allies from Europe and other regions, have been safeguarding the maritime route through the Red Sea. Their missions include escorting ships, destroying drones, anti-ship or ballistic missiles, and conducting attacks on the Houthi insurgents' infrastructure.

The F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircraft entered service with the US Navy in 2001 as a major upgrade of the F/A-18 Hornet. The Navy wanted an aircraft with significantly enhanced capabilities, able to perform missions previously assigned to the F-14 Tomcat.

Consequently, the Super Hornet had to be enlarged, and with the requirements for a highly durable landing gear and two engines, it resulted in an aircraft with an empty weight of approximately 32,000 pounds. Besides the 20 mm M61A2 Vulcan cannon, the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet can carry weaponry on 11 pylons with a total payload of approximately 18,000 pounds. The two extreme pylons at the wingtips are dedicated solely to missiles from the AIM-9 Sidewinder family, and only four pylons are capable of carrying, for example, JDAM/-ER bombs weighing about 2,000 pounds each.

The weapon array is diverse, as it can include air-to-air missiles such as the AIM-120 AMRAAM, and it can also carry AGM-158 JASSM or AGM-84H/K SLAM-ER cruise missiles, AGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missiles, or AGM-88 HARM anti-radiation missiles. These capabilities enable it to combat virtually any type of target. Additionally, in the coming years, US Navy pilots might be equipped with a long-range air-to-air missile (exceeding 124 miles) currently known as the XAIM-174B.

It's important to note that initially, the Super Hornet faced numerous issues, some of which were eventually resolved. For example, despite a 40 percent increase in fuel tank capacity, the aircraft's range only increased by 17 percent. Criticism also focused on wing vibrations, the AESA radar and IRST system gimbal performance, and the faster-than-expected wear of the aircraft's airframe.

For these reasons, the US plans to conclude its production in 2025 and concentrate on developing a more advanced design. Currently, the US Navy operates over 400 units, which coexist with several dozen F-35Cs.