US cruiser shoots down American fighter jet with "friendly fire" — details
news.online.ua
Sun, 22 Dec 2024 11:12:00 +0200
US plane shot down by friendly fire over the Red SeaAs noted, as a result of the incident, which the US military is calling friendly fire, two US Navy pilots were forced to eject.
They were found alive, but one of them received minor injuries.According to US Central Command, the F/A18 was shot down immediately after takeoff from the aircraft carrier Harry S.
Truman.
The guidedmissile cruiser USS Gettysburg, part of the USS Harry S.
Truman carrier strike group, mistakenly fired on and shot down an F/A18, the Central Command said in a statement.
The downed aircraft was a twoseat F/A18 Super Hornet.
It is not known exactly how the USS Gettysburg could have mistakenly identified the F/A18 as a hostile target, given that ships in a battle group typically use integrated radar and radio communications systems.Central Command explained that on the eve of the incident, US ships and aircraft destroyed several Houthi drones and one antiship cruise missile.Since October 2023, when the war between Israel and Hamas began in the Gaza Strip, the Houthis have attacked about 100 merchant ships using missiles and drones.
The Houthis say their attacks are targeting ships linked to Israel, the US or the UK, in an attempt to force Israel to end its military campaign in Gaza.
However, many of the ships attacked are unrelated to the conflict, including those bound for Iran.
The Red Sea Corridor has become dangerousThe incident of the downing of the American plane demonstrates the growing danger in the Red Sea corridor due to constant attacks by the Houthis on shipping, even with the region being patrolled by international military forces from the United States and Europe.In October, the United States announced its intention to maintain a military presence in the Red Sea.Together with a coalition of allies, they are working to ensure the safety of civilian vessels from attacks by Iranianbacked militants.
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