A Navy warship mistakenly fires at US fighter jets, pilot's life flashes before his eyes.

Last year, a US Navy cruiser launched missiles at two of its own F/A-18 fighter jets above the Red Sea, mistaking them for hostile Houthi cruise missiles, according to a military investigation. One jet was destroyed, while the other narrowly escaped destruction.

The pilot of the downed aircraft told investigators he saw his life flash before his eyes before ejecting from the $60 million fighter jet. Both the pilot and the weapons officer survived the incident, which involved aircraft from Strike Fighter Squadron 11, known as the "Red Rippers."

The incident occurred in late December 2024, shortly after the USS Gettysburg and other ships in the USS Harry S. Truman strike group entered the Red Sea to counter attacks on shipping lanes by Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen.

According to the investigation, the Gettysburgs crew misidentified the two F/A-18s as incoming anti-ship missiles. In a critical error, the cruiser fired surface-to-air missiles, destroying one jet and nearly striking a second. A third friendly aircraft was also targeted but was not hit.

The first missile was tracked by the crew of the targeted jet, who initially believed it was pursuing a Houthi drone. The missile suddenly changed course toward the jet, forcing the two-man crew to eject just moments before impact. The second jet managed to evade a follow-up missile, which exploded in the water after narrowly missing it.

Investigators cited a combination of factors contributing to the mishap, including flaws in planning, deficiencies in the ships combat systems, crew fatigue, and degraded interoperability between the Gettysburg and the rest of the strike group. Early deployment reports highlighted significant issues with the ship's network management, surveillance, identification, and weapons coordination.

The report concluded that the decisions to fire were incorrect, reflecting low situational awareness and limited support from the combat information center. This December 2024 incident was the most severe of several friendly fire and operational mishaps experienced by the Truman strike group, which also included collisions, aircraft accidents, and near-miss incidents during their Middle East deployment.

Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jim Kilby emphasized that the Navy remains focused on learning from these events, investing in personnel, and ensuring combat readiness for future operations.

Author: Ava Mitchell