The US Navy has been using carrier-launched aircraft in Red Sea operations, like those shown here aboard USS Dwight D Eisenhower, to thwart attacks. (Janes/Michael Fabey)
US Central Command (CENTCOM) acknowledged in a 22 December statement the investigation into the shoot-down of an F/A-18 over the Red Sea by a US Navy (USN) guided-missile cruiser (CG) the same day.
“Two US Navy pilots ejected safely over the Red Sea during the early morning hours of 22 December when their F/A-18 fighter aircraft was shot down in an apparent case of friendly fire,” CENTCOM said.
“The guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg (CG 64), which is part of the USS Harry S Truman Carrier Strike Group [CSG], mistakenly fired on and hit the F/A-18, which was flying off the USS Harry S Truman,” CENTCOM said.
“Both pilots were safely recovered,” CENTCOM said. “Initial assessments indicate that one of the crew members sustained minor injuries. This incident was not the result of hostile fire, and a full investigation is under way.”
The Truman CSG is the latest of the CSGs to deploy to the region and battle Iranian and Houthi forces since the end of 2023 when tensions increased there.
USN engineers, analysts, and Aegis Combat System operators on ships in the region, as well as those based back in the United States, completed real-time adjustments to radars and other Aegis equipment to better cope with the Red Sea environment and adversary attacks that combined missiles and unmanned platforms, USN officials told Janes during interviews aboard USN warships in the Red Sea in June.
The USN also changed CSG tactics for the region and the attacks, using carrier airwing assets to thwart the attacks, USN officials aboard carrier USS Dwight D Eisenhower
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