A Navy warship mistakenly fires at US fighter jets, pilot narrowly escapes.

Last year, a US Navy warship mistakenly launched missiles at two American F/A-18 fighter jets flying over the Red Sea. An investigation revealed that the crew misidentified the jets as Houthi-launched cruise missiles. One jet was destroyed, while the other narrowly escaped.

The pilot of the downed aircraft told investigators that he saw his life flash before his eyes before ejecting from the fighter, part of Strike Fighter Squadron 11 ("Red Rippers"). Both crew members ejected safely from the roughly $60 million aircraft.

The investigation reviewed by officials shows that the USS Gettysburg fired surface-to-air missiles at the jets due to a misjudgment. A third friendly aircraft was also targeted but was not hit.

The strike group, led by the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman, entered the Red Sea in December 2024 to counter Houthi attacks on shipping lanes. Seven days into operations, the Gettysburg engaged the jets in what the Navy called an "apparent case of friendly fire."

As the first missile was launched, the fighter crew initially thought it was pursuing an enemy drone. When the missile changed direction toward their plane, they ejected just in time. A second missile narrowly missed another jet, shaking it violently before exploding in the water. Witnesses reported seeing the missile overhead with no prior warning.

The investigation attributed the incident to multiple failures, including problems with planning, the Gettysburgs combat systems, and crew fatigue. Early deployment reports had already noted "significant degradation" in the ship's core systems, affecting network management, surveillance, tracking, identification, and weapons coordination.

Commanders also noted low situational awareness on the Gettysburg and inadequate support from its combat information team. The investigation concluded that the decision to fire was incorrect given the information available at the time.

This was not the only friendly fire incident during the deployment. Earlier in 2024, a German ship accidentally targeted a US MQ-9 Reaper drone but missed due to radar malfunction. The Truman strike group also experienced collisions, aircraft accidents, and equipment failures throughout the Middle East deployment.

Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jim Kilby stated that the Navy is "committed to being a learning organization" and emphasized the importance of continued investment in personnel to maintain operational readiness.

Author: Gavin Porter