Navy recovers $66.9 million ‘Top Gun’ fighter jet from the sea

By Dean Murray via SWNS

A $66.9 million U.S. "Top Gun" fighter jet that got blown off an aircraft carrier by high winds has been recovered.

The F/A-18E Super Hornet - the same aircraft model as piloted by Tom Cruise in the recent Maverick movie - disappeared overboard the USS Harry S. Truman "due to unexpected heavy weather" on 8 July.

The U.S. Navy has successfully extracted the fighter from the Mediterranean Sea, with pictures taken in Sicily showing it being lowered in protective wrapping onto the military sealift ship USNS Mendonca.

The aircraft was found at a depth of approximately 9,500 feet by a team including Task Force (CTF) 68 and Naval Sea Systems Command's Supervisor of Salvage and Diving.

Using the multi-purpose construction vessel Everest, the aircraft was recovered using a CURV-21 remotely operated vehicle to attach specialized rigging and lift lines to the aircraft.

A lifting hook was attached to the rigging to raise the aircraft to the surface and hoist it aboard Everest.

The plane was delivered to a nearby military installation following the recovery effort on August 3, where it will be transported to the United States.

Lt. Cmdr. Miguel Lewis, U.S. Sixth Fleet salvage officer, said: "The rapid response of the combined team, including SUPSALV and Phoenix International personnel, allowed us to conduct safe recovery operations within 27 days of the incident.

"Our task-tailored team operated safely and efficiently to meet the timeline. The search and recovery took less than 24 hours, a true testament to the team's dedication and capability."

CTF 68 Commodore, Capt. Geoffrey Townsend added: "Inherent to Task Force 68 is our ability to adapt to any mission set - we can rapidly mobilize and deploy scalable command, control, and communications, in order to seamlessly integrate and provide forward command and control when and where needed."