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| Date: | Sunday 22 December 2024 |
| Time: | 03:00 |
| Type: |  Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet |
| Owner/operator: | US Navy (USN) |
| Registration: | |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Red Sea -
 Yemen
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) |
| USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) |
An F/A-18F Super Hornet of Strike Fighter Squadron 11 (VFA-11) assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) was accidentally shot down by the Ticonderoga class guided missile cruiser USS Gettysburg (CG-64) as a result of misidentification. The aircraft was taking part in a sortie as part of Operation Poseidon Archer, against forces of Ansar Allah (Houthi's) in Yemen.
The aircraft was reportedly shot down using a SM-2 (RIM-66 Standard) surface-to-air missile.
Both pilot and WSO were able to successfully eject from the aircraft, albeit with one pilot sustaining injuries. Both pilots were recovered shortly after.
The aircraft was reportedly flying as a tanker with the job of refueling aircraft which were used for night strikes against Yemeni Houthi targets. After completing this task, the aircraft landed on CVN-75 before launching again in the role of Defensive Counter Air to protect the Carrier Strike Group. For a second time, the Super Hornet landed to refuel. Once airborne again, Houthi drones were reported in the area and the pilot committed to engage the drones. At the end of the engagement, the Super Hornet involved in the accident refueled the other two aircraft and began to return to the carrier.
As they were descending towards the carrier, both pilot and WSO spotted a missile being launched by the USS Gettysburg. The crew decided to eject from the aircraft while the missile was still live, leaving the aircraft approximately three seconds before the missile hit the aircraft.
Sources:
https://news.usni.org/2024/12/21/u-s-super-hornet-shot-down-over-red-sea-in-friendly-fire-incident-aviators-safe
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj30zk1jnmno
https://apnews.com/article/mideast-wars-yemen-us-navy-pilots-houthi-95a792daae3b0120186bfc6c66e1b6fe
https://theaviationist.com/2024/12/22/u-s-super-hornet-shot-down-in-friendly-fire-over-red-sea/
https://www.centcom.mil/MEDIA/PRESS-RELEASES/Press-Release-View/Article/4015365/centcom-conducts-airstrikes-against-iran-backed-houthi-missile-storage-and-comm/
https://theaviationist.com/2024/12/29/super-hornet-friendly-fire-pilots-accounts/
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 22-Dec-2024 05:34 | Captain Adam | Added |
| 22-Dec-2024 07:38 | Aerossurance | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 22-Dec-2024 09:53 | Aerossurance | Updated [Narrative, ] |
| 22-Dec-2024 09:59 | Kiwi Red | Updated [Time, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 22-Dec-2024 10:48 | Aerossurance | Updated [Narrative, ] |
| 23-Dec-2024 07:21 | Anon. | Updated [Source, Narrative, ] |
| 05-Jan-2025 07:46 | Anon. | Updated [Source, Narrative, ] |
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