You Can't Make This Up: U.S. Navy Shoots Down Its Own F/A-18 Super Hornet Fighter Jet in Apparent ‘Friendly Fire’ Incident in Red Sea | The Gateway Pundit | by Jim Hᴏft
In a shocking turn of events, a U.S. Navy cruiser mistakenly downed its own F/A-18 Super Hornet in the Red Sea. Discover the details behind this alarming incident.
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A U.S. Navy guided-missile cruiser mistakenly shot down an American F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet over the Red Sea in an apparent “friendly fire” incident.
The two-seat F/A-18F Super Hornet, assigned to the “Red Rippers” of Strike Fighter Squadron 11 from Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia, had just launched from the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman.
The USS Gettysburg, part of the same carrier strike group, erroneously identified the aircraft as a hostile target and engaged it, leading to its destruction.
“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,” Central Command said in a statement.
The Navy’s Central Command confirmed that both pilots ejected safely, with one sustaining minor injuries.
AP reported:
The downed aircraft, assigned to the USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, was conducting operations in a region increasingly destabilized by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels from Yemen.
According to the US CENTCOM:
Critics have attributed these absurd mishaps to the U.S. Navy’s adoption of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs.
According to the Heritage Foundation, the Navy missed its recruiting goals by 7,000 personnel last year and has reduced its force by 21,000 sailors since 2021. Additionally, the Navy’s Military Sealift Command plans to sideline 17 logistic ships due to a lack of qualified merchant mariners, raising concerns about the impact of DEI policies on recruitment and retention.
Furthermore, some lawmakers and veterans argue that DEI programs divert resources from essential military functions and foster division within the ranks.
They cite data indicating that 62% of active-duty military members believe the military has become politicized, and 65% would advise their own children against joining.
These concerns are amplified by the Pentagon’s request for $140 million to expand DEI initiatives in fiscal year 2024, up from $86.5 million the previous year.
