USS Harry S. Truman’s $60M Jet Takes Unplanned Swim, Brakes Blamed
KEY POINTS
- •On April 28, the USS Harry S. Truman made a hard evasive turn to avoid Houthi missile fire in the Red Sea.
- •The carrier lost a $60 million F/A-18 Super Hornet and its tow tractor when the jet’s brakes failed during the maneuver.
- •The Navy’s investigation blamed poor communication, worn non-skid decks since 2018, and equipment issues for the mishap.
In a dramatic mid-April Red Sea episode, the USS Harry S. Truman pulled a hard evasive turn to outsmart Houthi missiles—only to slide a $60 million Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet and its tow tractor straight overboard. The infamous jet, flawed by non-functional brakes and a 2018-expired deck non-skid, slipped away like a bar of soap during ship tilting, with sailors left scrambling and one lucky crew member jumping out just in time. Sailing under intense Iranian-backed fire during the Truman’s Middle East deployment, this was just one of the carrier’s four costly mishaps, including friendly fire and a cargo ship collision. Apparently, flying high means occasionally swimming low.
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Only on the USS Harry S. Truman can dodging missiles also mean inventing aquatic aviation, because apparently brakes are optional at sea.
The Truman’s flight deck or an amusement park slip’n’slide? Either way, that $60M plane went swimming without a floatie.
Missiles incoming, brakes out—because who needs function when $60 million jets want to explore marine biology?
Source: Businessinsider | Published: 12/4/2025 | Author: Jake Epstein,Kelsey Baker
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