Navy Report Blames Maintenance, Training and Systems Failures for USS Harry S. Truman Incidents

Navy Report Finds Maintenance, Training and Systems Failures Behind Truman Incidents

The U.S. Navy on Thursday published a detailed investigation into four separate incidents involving the USS Harry S. Truman carrier strike group during a Middle East deployment from December 2024 through May 2025. The events included the loss of three F/A-18 Super Hornet aircraft in the Red Sea and a collision with a merchant vessel near Port Said, Egypt.

What the Investigation Found

• The report identified multiple equipment problems: a failed trip wire, flawed computer signaling, degraded arresting gear and at least one aircraft brake failure.
• Investigators cited human and organizational shortfalls including substandard maintenance practices, low operator knowledge, weak leadership in some areas and insufficient integrated training across units.
• The December 2024 friendly-fire shootdown of an F/A-18F by the guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg was linked to a lack of reintegrated training between the cruiser and the carrier strike group, inadequate forceful backup on the cruiser and poor cohesion across the strike group. Investigators said these gaps contributed to misidentification and the subsequent engagement.
• The February 2025 collision near Port Said was judged "avoidable," with the Truman's bridge team found to have failed to safely navigate past the merchant vessel.
• The April 2025 loss of an F/A-18E and a tow tractor occurred after evasive maneuvers during an incoming ballistic-missile threat; the incident was worsened by a brake-system failure and insufficient communication between the bridge, flight-deck control and hangar-bay control.
• The May 2025 aircraft loss was traced to a trip-wire failure that investigators attributed to substandard maintenance, degraded equipment and shortfalls in leadership and operator knowledge.

Recommended Actions and Navy Response

The investigation recommends equipment inspections and repairs, a review of relevant shipboard systems and expanded, reintegrated training across the strike group. The Navy indicated it will strengthen maintenance standards, improve integrated training between cruisers and carriers, and enhance communications procedures to reduce future risk.

"The Navy is committed to being a learning organization," Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jim Kilby said in a written statement released with the report.

The Navy reported there were no personnel casualties or major injuries related to these incidents. Investigators also noted that the strike group had been operating in a high-threat environment and had spent hours defending against Houthi-launched anti-ship cruise missiles and one-way attack drones prior to some events, which likely increased operational stress on systems and crews.