US cruiser Gettysburg accidentally shoots down Super Hornet

According to a statement from CENTCOM, “The guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg (CG 64), part of the Carrier Strike Group of the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman, mistakenly fired at the F/A-18 carried by the USS Harry S. Truman lashed out and hit her. Both pilots were safely rescued, one of the crew members suffered minor injuries. and a full investigation is underway.”

The only CVW-1 squadron to fly the F version of the Super Hornet is VFA-11 “Red Rippers” from Oceana, Virginia. The Truman transited the Suez Canal on December 15 to reestablish the U.S. Navy's presence in the region. The Hornets were likely involved in operations against Houthi positions in Yemen as part of Operation Prosperity Guardian.

The USS “Gettysburg” is a member of the Ticonderoga class. They served as a command center for the air defense of the carrier and its escort ships. It is not known which surface-to-air missiles were used in this specific incident.

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