- National Security & Technology Protection
- The F/A-18F is a front-line multirole fighter with advanced radar, avionics, and weapons systems. If wreckage were left underwater, there’s a risk that adversaries (China, Russia, etc.) could attempt to salvage it and exploit sensitive technology.
- Safety & Environmental Concerns
- A fighter jet contains jet fuel, hydraulic fluids, and other hazardous materials. Recovery helps prevent long-term pollution in the ocean.
- Accident Investigation
- The Navy needs to examine the wreckage to determine the cause of the crash. This allows them to fix technical issues, improve pilot training, or adjust maintenance practices to prevent future accidents.
- Pilot Accountability & Closure
- If the incident involved a pilot who ejected or was lost, recovery operations can provide evidence about what happened during the last moments of the flight.
- Operational Readiness
- Understanding exactly why an advanced aircraft was lost helps maintain fleet safety and readiness. Even partial wreckage can provide valuable engineering insights.
👉 A recent high-profile example was in July 2022, when the Navy recovered an F/A-18E Super Hornet from over 9,500 feet deep in the Mediterranean Sea after it was blown off the USS Harry S. Truman by bad weather. The recovery was largely to prevent adversaries from retrieving it and to safeguard sensitive technology.
Do you want me to pull up the specific case of the Super Hornet recovery you’re referring to (year/location), so I can give you the exact reason?
