The U.S. Navy Lost a Second $60 Million Fighter Jet in the Ocean

Planes are becoming a defining part of Donald Trump’s second term. From close misses to actual collisions, air traffic has been a mess. But it looks like that chaos isn’t limited to land. On Tuesday, the United States Navy lost a second fighter jet in the ocean. Although the two crewmen aboard only sustained minor injuries, it’s still not a good look for the Trump administration.

Five people familiar with the matter told CNN that the lost plane was an F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet. Per CNN, the jet was attempting to land on the USS Harry S. Truman when it fell into the Red Sea. If that sounds familiar, it’s because the Navy lost the same type of jet on the exact same aircraft carrier last week.

Last time, the Navy said in a press release that the jet fell off after the USS Harry S. Truman came under fire from Houthi rebels. The most recent loss is still under investigation, but CNN reported that it was due to an issue with the arrestment system that helps military aircraft stop on a runway. Per NBC News, the tail hook didn’t hook the wires to slow down the jet, so it continued accelerating into the water.

Luckily, the pilot and weapons systems officer ejected themselves and were rescued by a helicopter. Still, that’s a pretty damn expensive plane to lose. Per Navy documents, an F/A-18 Super Hornet starts at $67.4 million. That doesn’t include any extras like adding weapons-related equipment.

The Truman has had issues outside of planes falling into the water. In December, the USS Gettysburg accidentally shot down another F/A-18 fighter jet that was flying from the Truman. Although there were no casualties, the Washington Post reported that the incident raised concerns about communication amongst ships and jets in the area.

Since taking office, Trump has been plagued by plane issues, including when an army helicopter crashed into a passenger plane at Reagan airport. Over sixty people died in that incident. The accumulation of collision or near misses comes amidst the Department of Government Efficiency firing hundreds of Federal Aviation Administration employees, including air traffic control support.

The incidents with the Truman fall more under the Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s jurisdiction. (Coincidentally, Hegseth has extended the Truman’s deployment twice now.) However, Hegseth hasn’t really been a stellar example of a government official with the Signalgate controversy, in which he shared details about the Yemeni campaign in an unsecured chat, taking up much of his time. He also reportedly had a makeup studio installed at the Pentagon so people could pretty themselves up for television appearances. But hey, that studio may come in handy if the Navy drops a third plane in the ocean.