Another American fighter aircraft narrowly avoided being shot down by “friendly fire” while conducting a mission over the Red Sea, a US Navy official has revealed.
An F/A-18 Super Hornet was forced to take “evasive maneuvers” after an SM-2 missile fired from the guided missile cruiser USS Gettysburg passed within 100 feet (30 meters) of the aircraft.
The combat jet was preparing to land on the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier when the incident happened.
The US Navy is investigating whether the Super Hornet was the intended target of the missile or if there was a hostile target nearby.
Earlier this week, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) reported that a US Navy pilot sustained minor injuries after the USS Gettysburg “mistakenly fired on and hit” an F/A-18 aircraft.
The pilot and a weapon systems officer ejected from the jet and were later rescued by a helicopter.
Questionable Training?
Following the second such incident in a week, the USS Truman reportedly paused its operations against Houthi targets over the Red Sea.
A source told Fox News that some US Navy pilots aboard the aircraft carrier expressed frustration over the mistakes, questioning the sufficiency of training for personnel on the USS Gettysburg.
The US Navy is now looking into whether the guided missile destroyer mistakenly deactivated the guidance system on its missiles, leading to the incident.
A Sign of Operational Risks
On December 21, US CENTCOM announced that its forces shot down multiple drones and cruise missiles fired by Houthi rebels over the Red Sea.
This provoked retaliation from the enemy, with some American warships coming under heavy fire.
This escalation may have contributed to the two incidents, according to the source.
CENTCOM emphasized that the mistakes highlight the dangers faced by American forces in operations against Yemen’s Houthi rebels.