A Navy pilot was rescued from the waters off Virginia on Wednesday after an F/A-18 Super Hornet crashed during a training mission. The incident occurred around 10 a.m. ET, according to Naval Air Force Atlantic spokesperson Lt. Jackie Parashar. Search and rescue teams located the pilot at 11:21 a.m., and he was transported to a local hospital for evaluation. The wreckage of the jet, which remains submerged, is now the focus of an investigation to determine the crash’s cause. Following this inquiry, the Navy may issue a safety stand-down to address any safety training needs.
This crash adds to a troubling pattern of F/A-18 incidents. Just months earlier, in May, another Super Hornet slid into the Red Sea after attempting to land on the USS Harry S. Truman, but both pilots managed to eject safely. Additionally, a week prior, a jet rolled off the Truman’s deck during towing operations. The frequency of these mishaps has raised eyebrows, especially since a former senior defense official observed, “The recent mishaps deserve to be examined — especially in light of all the other extreme challenges the Navy is facing.”
The financial stakes are significant; each F/A-18 has an estimated cost of $67 million, pushing concerns over the jet’s safety and reliability to the forefront. Since fiscal year 2015, there have been 42 Class A flight mishaps involving the F/A-18 and its variants, as detailed by Naval Safety Command. This averages out to about 4.2 Class A mishaps per year and highlights a concerning trend that continues to unfold, with seven reported in both 2023 and 2024.
Furthermore, the recent accidents did not catch all analysts by surprise. One source familiar with Navy operations indicated that this pattern led to a decision to purchase an additional 17 Super Hornets in 2024. It appears there is a growing consensus that ongoing scrutiny and assessments of the F/A-18 fleet’s performance might be necessary to understand the recurring issues better. Such a strategy could help ensure not only pilot safety but also the operational readiness of the aircraft that play a crucial role in national defense. As experts continue to evaluate the situation, the Navy faces mounting pressure to address these challenges head-on.
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