The USS Gettysburg mistakenly shot down a U.S. F/A-18F Super Hornet during operations in the Red Sea on Dec. 22, sparking concerns about the ship’s readiness. The incident occurred as the fighter approached its carrier strike group.
Both aviators ejected before the missile hit, with one suffering minor injuries. Shortly after, the Gettysburg fired a second missile, narrowly missing another U.S. jet. The missile detonated harmlessly over the water.
BREAKING NEWS! D.E.I ship USS Gettysburg fired upon second US fighter jet the same night it shot down another. USS Gettysburg under investigation. pic.twitter.com/K3u5ptebuE
— B. Wilkins lll 🇺🇸 𓃠 (@ScummyMummy511) December 30, 2024
The Gettysburg recently underwent modernization, but a GAO report highlighted severe issues with the $1.9 billion program. The ship, out of service since 2015, faced delays exceeding 15 years and continued to struggle with propulsion and electrical systems even after upgrades.
An F18 can cost between $50 and $120 Million and apparently the USS Gettysburg just “accidentally” shot one down! The pilots are ok. Somebody shot it down and is my opinion that they don’t want to start WW3 over it and so are claiming friendly fire.
— Lagrange5 (@Langrange5) January 2, 2025
USS Gettysburg “accidentally” shoots down a US warplane. Grotesque incompetence or a cover up to avoid going to war? https://t.co/V2mXWa3Nth
— Lagrange5 (@Langrange5) January 2, 2025
Navy pilots criticized the level of training aboard the Gettysburg, calling it insufficient for the ship’s role as an air defense leader. The ship is one of only a few cruisers specifically equipped to protect carrier groups.
Crashed ? You mean shot down by a SM-2 missile fired from the USS Gettysburg (CG 64).
A testament of the effectiveness of the ejection seat system. 👍 pic.twitter.com/J6SLxKinc6— Pascal D. Muyovu (@kirkjamestkirk) January 2, 2025
Inspection reports from early 2024 noted that some weapons systems remained non-functional, despite the ship completing sea trials months earlier. The GAO also found that modernization efforts had not adequately addressed quality concerns.
USS Gettysburg firing on two friendlies really a mistake?
— Neonidas 🇺🇸 AMERICA FIRST (@InTheMatrix1776) January 2, 2025
An investigation into the incident is ongoing, with a focus on whether training or system failures contributed to the friendly fire event.
Wonder how many of our jets the USS Gettysburg will attempt to shoot down today?
— 🍊Ultra MAGA🍊 (@imcmoser) December 31, 2024
