US Navy shoots down its own fighter jet returning from combat mission
An American F/A-18 fighter returning from a combat mission was shot down over the Red Sea, but the pilots managed to escape.
The star may be painted on the side of the USS Gettysburg, which mistakenly opened friendly fire on pilots attacking Houthi targets in Yemen.
Apnews reported the incident, citing data from the US Central Command.
The pilots ejected and were found alive.
One of them was reported to have received minor injuries.
The downed plane took off from the deck of the aircraft carrier Harry S. Truman.
It was shot down by guided missiles from the cruiser Gettysburg, which was part of the US carrier strike group.
The reasons why the Americans shot down their own plane are not disclosed.
It is possible that it could have been mistaken for an enemy aircraft or a missile.
But, as it became known, ships of one group are in contact using radar and radio communications.
Central Command officials say the US military shot down several drones launched in their direction before the incident.
It was also reported that a missile attack was repelled, for which the Houthis used an anti-ship cruise missile.
As the military notes, in such cases, sailors have only a few seconds to make a decision.
