A Close Call: US Navy's Friendly Fire Mishap in the Red Sea
In the vast expanse of the Red Sea, a grave error occurred. A US Navy cruiser, the USS Gettysburg, mistakenly fired on its own fighter jets. The incident, which took place in December 2024, was a stark reminder of the dangers of miscommunication and technical glitches in modern warfare.
Background
The USS Gettysburg, part of a strike group led by the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman, had been deployed to combat Houthi rebels in Yemen. The rebels had been targeting key shipping lanes for nearly a year. The strike group entered the Red Sea in late December, and just seven days later, the friendly fire incident occurred.
The Incident
Two F/A-18 Super Hornets from the Truman's air wing were mistaken for enemy missiles. The cruiser launched surface-to-air missiles, striking one jet and narrowly missing another. A third aircraft was also targeted but not fired upon. The pilot of the downed jet told investigators that he saw his life flash before his eyes before ejecting.
Investigation Findings
The command investigation revealed a series of failures leading up to the incident:
- Shortcomings in planning
- Deficiencies in combat systems
- Possible crew fatigue
The cruiser's core interoperability system had significant degradation, affecting network management, surveillance, and tracking.
The investigation also noted that the decision to shoot was "wrong" given the information available to the commanding officer. The captain had low situational awareness, and his team couldn't help him regain it.
Previous Incidents
This wasn't the only friendly fire incident in the Red Sea conflict. Earlier in the year, a German warship had accidentally targeted a US drone, but the missiles didn't reach it due to a radar malfunction.
Other Mishaps
The Truman strike group experienced several mishaps during its deployment:
- The aircraft carrier collided with a cargo vessel
- Two more F/A-18s were lost in separate accidents
Despite these setbacks, the Navy remains committed to learning from these incidents and ensuring its forces are battle-ready.
