Houthi attack risk complicates Navy’s calculus on retrieving downed fighter jet, analysts say
By ALISON BATH STARS AND STRIPES •
December 30, 2024
NAPLES, Italy — Recovery of a Navy fighter jet recently downed over the Red Sea likely hinges on what’s left of the wreckage and how safely a salvage operation could be pulled off, analysts say. The F/A-18 Super Hornet launched from the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman was shot down by apparent “friendly fire” from the guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg on Dec. 22.
Although the jet is being phased out, newer Block III versions of it have equipment upgrades that could be a tempting target for adversaries. It’s unknown whether the F/A-18 in question was a Block III or had been outfitted with the newer technology, which includes an infrared system useful in pinpointing stealth aircraft, better radar equipment and a precision approach landing system.
“There would perhaps be sensitive material onboard … worth recovery, but it depends on the condition of the aircraft and where it went down in the Red Sea,” said Steven Wills, a naval analyst with the Center for Maritime Strategy at the Navy League of the United States.
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https://www.stripes.com/branches/navy/2024-12-30/houthi-super-hornet-red-sea-16322497.htmlSource - Stars and Stripes
