this post was submitted on 29 Apr 2025
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A Navy fighter jet fell overboard Monday when the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier veered to avoid fire from the Houthis, according to two defense officials.

The military was using the $60 million jet as part of its weekslong campaign against Houthi fighters in Yemen, who have attacked commercial and military shipping in the waterway for the past two years.

The aircraft’s loss adds to the growing price tag in the effort against the Houthis, which has included seven MQ-9 drones shot down by the group over the past several weeks. The Houthis have brought down more than a dozen of the surveillance drones since October 2023, when they began attacking ships in the Red Sea to, as they said, help ~~Hamas in its war with~~ Stop the genocide committed by Israel. They cost more than $20 million each.

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[–] atzanteol@sh.itjust.works 70 points 1 month ago

Yeah, I got the text from Hegseth when it happened. They're clear on OPSEC though.

[–] BigDanishGuy@sh.itjust.works 29 points 1 month ago (1 children)

When I was a kid my dad didn't properly tie down a lounge chair on the trailer. Although we didn't lose the chair avoiding a Houthi attack, we did have to go back and pick it up on the highway.

So I can totally relate /s

[–] Agent641@lemmy.world 0 points 1 month ago

The Houthis will claim your couch as a combat win anyway.

[–] JayleneSlide@lemmy.world 18 points 1 month ago (3 children)

seven MQ-9 drones shot down by the group over the past several weeks. The Houthis have brought down more than a dozen of the surveillance drones (emphasis mine)

Wow, something tells me the military had some editorial input on this article. In all kinds of materials, including General Moseley's own statements, the MQ-9 Reaper is a hunter-killer drone. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Atomics_MQ-9_Reaper)

[–] mlg@lemmy.world 11 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

I mean its possible they might actually be using them only for surveillance without anything on the hardpoints due to the larger range, but I like how the wikipedia file photo is a reaper carrying two hellfire AGMs and a fat paveway LGB for good measure.

"Surveillance" lol

[–] IndustryStandard@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago

Politico is desperately trying to get that USAID funding back.

[–] Dogs_cant_look_up@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

Maybe the Reaper version is the optioned-up spec of the base MQ-9.

Missiles As A Service subscription tier.

[–] LeninOnAPrayer@lemm.ee 14 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Given that our ships there are carrying out terrorist attacks on Yemen, a nation that is puting material pressure to stop the genocide in Gaza. Something that is REQUIRED by international law.

Yeah. Good riddance. Hope all the US ships out there sink with all the aircraft.

Free Palestine.

[–] tal@lemmy.today 13 points 1 month ago (2 children)

F/A-18E

That's not a young jet, but apparently we still have the production line active for a while longer. I suppose if the Navy wants another one, they can still get them.

https://breakingdefense.com/2024/04/boeing-to-shutter-super-hornet-line-in-2027-after-final-navy-order-boeing-vp/

Boeing to shutter Super Hornet line in 2027 after final Navy order: Boeing VP

[–] InvertedParallax@lemm.ee 10 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (2 children)

The Shornet is a nice platform, and it's been upgraded to hell to be a real game-breaker.

But the real issue is the Navy can't operate a procurement program to save its life, hence it was forced to take the F-35 because basically all its other attempts were absolute catastrophes.

The only thing it's been able to build effectively as been their CVNs (which are just updated copies of the Nimitz from the 1960s) and the SHornet which is a massively upgraded F-5 from the 1960s.

The A-12 Dorito failed miserably, as did the LCS, the Virginia cost 3x what it was supposed to, the Zumwalt has no bullets and the radar basically doesn't work, so they're building more Arleigh-Burkes which are upgraded Spruances from again, the 1970s.

[–] eestileib@lemmy.blahaj.zone 9 points 1 month ago

The Navy really really does suck at procurement.

[–] peoplebeproblems@midwest.social 2 points 1 month ago

Don't forget about the Tomcat! That guy lasted longer than it had any right to TBH.

[–] Damage@feddit.it 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Wasn't it the subject of a videogame for the Commodore Amiga?

[–] tal@lemmy.today 3 points 1 month ago

Could be. I don't think that it's that old, though. Maybe the original Hornet rather than the Super Hornet, which was a smaller aircraft.

kagis

Yeah. The game F/A-18 Interceptor is probably what you're thinking of. It came out in 1988, and the Super Hornet was only produced starting in 1995.

Despite the fact that they both share an identifier ("F/A-18"), I think that it'd probably be fair to call the Hornet and the Super Hornet different planes. I don't think that there's been another case where we've produced a warplane and then made a significantly-larger aircraft and used the same identifier.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonnell_Douglas_F/A-18_Hornet

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_F/A-18E/F_Super_Hornet

The Navy retained the F/A-18 designation to help sell the program to Congress as a low-risk "derivative", though the Super Hornet is largely a new aircraft.

[–] yagurlreese@lemmy.world 7 points 1 month ago

so glad this is where we put all our money into. not silly things like health or clean power or transportation. instead I say let's invest another 300 mill and get ten replacements 😎😂

[–] astutemural@midwest.social 6 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Common Houthi W

[–] AnUnusualRelic@lemmy.world 6 points 1 month ago

Is this some kind of insurance scam thing?

[–] technocrit@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 1 month ago

Empire pumps so many resources into the MIC that planes are literally falling off their boats.

[–] reddig33@lemmy.world 4 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Would it cost more than $60 mil to recover it from the ocean?

[–] HK65@sopuli.xyz 4 points 1 month ago

It would definitely cost more than that to restore it after that dip.

If I was the US, I'd even send some depth charges after it to make sure the Chinese don't go fishing.

[–] Cyclist@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

The salt water would have a negative effect on it.

[–] reddig33@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

There might be a slew of still salvageable parts I would think. I guess the question is how salvageable, how complicated to recover, and how much those parts would be worth.

[–] wabafee@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago

I guess that's cheaper than loosing a whole ship.

[–] NoneOfUrBusiness@fedia.io 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I love it. Go Houthis*!

*Only applies to Israel-related activities.

[–] LeninOnAPrayer@lemm.ee 7 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

You're not wrong. Yemen is the only country (at least to this material degree) following international law requiring all nations to take every action possible to stop a genocide.

And then you have the US taking every action possible to ensure that genocide is continued in Gaza.

Houthis are in the right here.