Guided Missile Cruiser USS Gettysburg Mistook F/A-18 for Enemy Aircraft

Two US Naval aviators on an F/A-18 Super Hornet were shot down over the Red Sea on December 22.  Military officials reported that it was a ‘friendly fire’ incident, with a US-owned guided missile cruiser mistaking the fighter jet for an enemy aircraft.

Luckily, both pilots were able to eject from the F/A-18 and parachute down safely, with just one suffering minor injuries. The US military reported that the jet involved was a two-seater assigned to the Strike Fighter Squadron 11 “Red Rippers”, based at Virginia’s Naval Air Station Oceana.

The fighter had just launched off the deck of the USS Harry S. Truman carrier, which is currently sitting in the Red Sea. The area, despite being patrolled by US and European military groups, has been continuously subjected to attacks by the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels.

"The guided missile cruiser USS Gettysburg, which is part of the USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, mistakenly fired on and hit the F/A-18," claimed the US Central Command (CENTCOM) in a statement.

CENTCOM also stated that its warships had previously shot down several Houthi drones and a cruise missile. However, it’s somewhat unusual that the USS Gettysburg, linked to other friendly ships by both radar and radio, managed to mistake a US Super Hornet for an enemy aircraft. Military officials have confirmed that a full investigation is underway.

The US Navy has been patrolling the region for more than a year amid Houthi attacks on ships. The rebel group began targeting any and all ships linked to Israel, the US, and the UK after the Israel-Hamas conflict turned violent. Over 100 merchant vessels have been targeted by Houthi missiles and drones.

Hours before the incident, US forces executed precision airstrikes on a missile storage facility and a command-and-control facility used by the Houthi rebels. They also attacked drones and an anti-ship cruise missile using many US Air Force and Navy machines, including F/A-18s.

FMI: www.centcom.mil