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Demovictory9

(35,587 posts)
Mon Apr 28, 2025, 04:54 PM Monday

$70 million f18 jet rolls off aircraft carrier and sinks into the sea

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/us-fighter-jet-rolls-off-aircraft-carrier-sinks/story?id=121245662

An F/A-18E fighter jet rolled off the side an aircraft carrier and sank to the bottom of the Red Sea, the Navy announced on Monday.

There was one enlisted crew member aboard the jet and a second enlisted crew member inside the tractor when the incident occurred.

Both personnel were able to jump out in time with only one person sustaining a minor injury, according to officials.

In the extraordinary mishap attributed to human error, the $70 million jet was being towed out of the hanger bay of the USS Harry S. Truman when the crew lost control.

"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 Navy wrote in a statement.
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Aristus

(69,842 posts)
1. Man, that is going to be one big Statement of Charges.
Mon Apr 28, 2025, 04:55 PM
Monday

I think the poor SM is going to have to moonlight to raise the cash.

Grins

(8,328 posts)
17. Funny. And real!
Mon Apr 28, 2025, 06:05 PM
Monday

We’d hear something similar in the Army and pretty quick it was, “Oh, damn! You sign for that? I didn’t. You sign for that…?”

I remember a brand new 2LT who took a main battle tank out to one of the firing ranges and never checked the oil. There wasn’t any! Engine seized, had to be replaced, and the Army hit him with a whopper Statement of Charges!

Later told the Army “promoted” him - for pay purposes - to General. The difference between a General’s pay and the 2LT’s went to the Army to pay for that engine.

DFW

(57,872 posts)
2. They can be happy it happened under a Republican regime
Mon Apr 28, 2025, 04:57 PM
Monday

Being Republicans, they just write it off under the "oops" column (non-existant under Democratic DoD).

Amishman

(5,880 posts)
11. unfortunately, in very large and active military, these things happen
Mon Apr 28, 2025, 05:14 PM
Monday

With the number of flights (training and live) our pilots make in a year, even a well trained and capable group will have a major error periodically.

The F35 loss a few years back comes to mind.

newdeal2

(2,419 posts)
12. He's sacrificed enough in his mind
Mon Apr 28, 2025, 05:15 PM
Monday

He’ll cut another department that helps people instead.

Irish_Dem

(69,171 posts)
9. Top brass doesn't like it when you lose an airplane.
Mon Apr 28, 2025, 05:07 PM
Monday

Especially in non combat situations and due to human error.

taxi

(2,191 posts)
14. Understand that tradition is important.
Mon Apr 28, 2025, 05:15 PM
Monday

And traditionally the outcome of the investigation will reveal a recently discharged sailor was at fault. For example, So-and-so gun decked the maintenance log on the braking system, and that's why this happened. Certainly there won't be anyone still on active duty that is to blame.

Emile

(34,323 posts)
20. In the Mediterranean I saw a jet taking off on the USS Forrestal go into sea. I
Mon Apr 28, 2025, 06:43 PM
Monday

was on the USS Albany cruiser and we were doing exercises off the northern coast of Africa. This happened in the early 70's. The jet fighter was taking off and dropped into the sea. A small destroyer rescued the pilot and the jet sank.

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