Navy Blames Crew, Training for F-18 Losses, Truman CSG Mishaps

WASHINGTON — Navy investigation reports released this week on the Harry S. Truman carrier strike group’s deployment reveal a troubling pattern of training deficiencies, communication failures, and command judgment errors that contributed to four serious maritime incidents during Red Sea counter-Houthi operations.

The heavily redacted command investigations point to inadequate training protocols, poor bridge resource management, and crews operating under severe operational strain as underlying causes for incidents ranging from friendly fire near-misses to equipment losses totaling approximately $97 million.

The Friendly Fire Incident

The most serious incident occurred on December 22 when the cruiser USS Gettysburg (CG-64) fired missiles at two friendly F/A-18 Super Hornets. Navy investigators determined the commanding officer’s decision to engage was “neither reasonable nor prudent,” citing low situational awareness and over-reliance on ship systems without properly integrating available tactical data.

Investigators identified culpability across the command chain for failing to recognize red flags or voice concerns. The report specifically cited “lack of integrated training opportunities between USS Gettysburg and the Carrier Strike Group, lack of forceful backup on the cruiser, and lack of cohesion across the Carrier Strike Group” as contributing factors. Both pilots were justified in their evasive actions, with one crew correctly ejecting and the second crew being justified had they done so.

Collision with Commercial Vessel

The February 12 collision between USS Harry Truman and commercial vessel Besiktas-M near an Egyptian port was deemed “avoidable” and resulted from poor bridge resource management. Eight sailors narrowly escaped serious injury. Investigators drew direct parallels to 2017 destroyer collisions that killed 17 sailors, noting similar crew fatigue and training inadequacies.

Aircraft Loss Incidents

Two separate F/A-18 losses in April and May revealed distinct but related problems. The April 28 incident resulted from an aircraft brake system failure compounded by “insufficient communication between the bridge, flight deck control, and hangar bay control” during an emergency maneuver. The aircraft, valued at $36 million, rolled off the flight deck during plane positioning operations.

The May 6 loss involved an arresting cable failure caused by a malfunctioning sheave damper. Pre- and post-operation inspections failed to identify critical issues. Contributing factors included inadequate maintenance practices, insufficient manning, limited personnel knowledge, and inadequate training exacerbated by high operational tempo.

Systemic Issues

The Navy’s official statement emphasized that while individual sailors and officers were held accountable, the investigations revealed systemic training and procedural compliance gaps. High operational tempo and combat conditions created a strained environment that degraded performance across multiple units.

These findings highlight ongoing challenges within Navy aviation and carrier operations, particularly when strike groups operate continuously under combat pressure without adequate crew rotation or integrated training opportunities. The incidents resulted in injuries but no fatalities, with appropriate accountability measures implemented fleet-wide.

Source ID: SRCE-2025-1764875086253-1158