US Navy F-18 Jets Lost During Operations Against Houthis Due to Friendly Fire, Technical Issues

Quick Summary

• december 2024 incident: A US Navy F-18 jet was lost in a friendly fire incident while engaging Houthi drones over the Red Sea. The pilots safely ditched and were recovered.
• April 2025 Incident: An F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter fell off the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman due to evasive maneuvers taken in response to incoming Houthi fire, as confirmed by initial reports from US officials. No injuries occurred during this event.
• Other Related Events: Prior to these incidents, USS Harry S. Truman underwent repairs in February 2025 following a collision with a commercial ship near Egypt’s Port Said during its Mediterranean deployment earlier that month.

Indian Opinion Analysis
These incidents highlight operational vulnerabilities even within advanced military forces like the US Navy when conducting maneuvers under intense tactical situations such as mitigating drone attacks or evading enemy fire from groups like Yemen’s Houthis,known for using unconventional warfare tactics.

For India, which has ongoing modernization efforts for its own naval capabilities amid regional threats and asymmetric warfare challenges (e.g., drone proliferation), these events underscore meaningful lessons on improving systems integration, minimizing human error during crisis periods, and advancing reliable defense mechanisms against unmanned aerial systems (UAS). Observing such occurrences could further help India refine protocols for safeguarding critical assets like aircraft carriers stationed in contested waters or high-risk zones.

Read more: US Navy F-18 Jets lost to Friendly Fire and Other Problems While Fighting Houthi