US Navy officials announced on 9/12/2024 the recovery of an MH-60R helicopter and an F/A-18F fighter jet from the South China Sea. The recovery operation, completed last week, concluded a more than month-long effort to retrieve the downed aircraft.

The US 7th Fleet stated that the aircraft were recovered from a depth of approximately 120 meters. All components are now en route to a military facility in the Indo-Pacific for detailed analysis.

The US Navy contracted a civilian vessel for the recovery operation. This vessel, equipped with a government-owned, contractor-operated unmanned system, has a history of assisting in the recovery of US military aircraft.

F/A-18F fighter jet on duty in the Middle East in 2020. *Photo: USAF*

On 20/11/2024, the US Navy announced that the USNS Salvor, a Safeguard-class salvage ship under the Military Sealift Command, was deployed to the site to aid recovery efforts. Its specific role in the operation was not clarified.

Military news site War Zone reported that both the F/A-18F fighter jet and MH-60R helicopter contain sensitive technology, potentially attracting interest from US adversaries. This concern drove Washington's urgent recovery efforts, aiming to prevent the wreckage from falling into foreign hands and thus safeguarding technological secrets.

The MH-60R helicopter of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 73 and the F/A-18F fighter jet of Fighter Squadron 22, both assigned to the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier, crashed in the South China Sea on 26/10/2024. The incidents occurred approximately 30 minutes apart during routine operations. All five crew members from both aircraft were safely rescued.

US President Donald Trump suggested contaminated fuel as a possible cause for the consecutive crashes. US Navy officials, while stating an investigation is ongoing and preliminary findings are pending, also indicated no "foul play" was involved.

Pham Giang (According to War Zone)