US Navy Rushes Salvage Ship to Recover F/A-18 and MH-60 from South China Sea Seabed

Summary: The US Navy is conducting recovery operations for two aircraft — an F/A-18 Super Hornet and an MH-60 helicopter — that crashed near the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz in late October. All personnel were rescued, and a Safeguard-class salvage ship is on scene to attempt retrieval amid concerns that the wreckage could provide valuable intelligence if accessed by foreign actors.

The two aircraft went down roughly 30 minutes apart during routine flight operations. No official cause has been released; President Donald Trump suggested soon after the incidents that contaminated fuel could be a factor. All crew members were recovered from the water and treated for injuries if any.

The Navy has identified the salvage vessel on site as USNS SALVOR (T-ARS 52), a Safeguard-class ship operated by Military Sealift Command. According to naval specifications, the Salvor can lift items of up to about 300 tons from the seafloor — more than sufficient to recover an F/A-18 (maximum takeoff weight roughly 33 tons) or an MH-60 (about 11 tons).

Intelligence concerns: Although neither airframe represents the newest generation of US naval aircraft, analysts warn that intact wreckage and surviving systems could yield sensitive technical information. Carl Schuster, former head of the US Pacific Command′s Joint Intelligence Center, said recovering an airframe and any surviving avionics or sensors can reveal technological strengths and vulnerabilities and suggest tactical countermeasures.

"Acquiring an airframe and surviving systems will provide valuable insights into its technological strengths and how to defeat it tactically," said Schuster. He noted an intact F/A-18 could inform improvements to adversary carrier fighters, while an MH-60's anti-submarine systems would be of particular interest given China′s focus on upgrading its undersea-warfare capabilities.

There has been no public confirmation that Chinese forces are attempting to reach the wreckage. Beijing claims sovereignty over much of the South China Sea, a position at odds with an international arbitration ruling, and has over the past two decades built military facilities on disputed features. Those developments, combined with proximity to the crash sites, could complicate recovery efforts.

Naval experts point to precedent: in 2022 US teams recovered an F-35 from about 12,400 feet (3,700 meters) of water after it crashed attempting to land on the carrier USS Carl Vinson. Recoveries at great depth are technically challenging but possible with the right assets and resources.

China's Foreign Ministry said it could provide humanitarian assistance if needed but also framed the incidents as occurring during what it characterized as US military activities in the region. A ministry spokesperson criticized frequent US naval and air operations in the South China Sea as a source of regional tension.

Strategic context: The South China Sea is a vital international waterway through which trillions of dollars in trade pass annually. The United States maintains a persistent presence in the region to uphold freedom of navigation and support allies and partners. Officials and analysts say a speedy, well-resourced recovery reduces the risk that sensitive systems could be examined or exploited by others.