F/A-18F Super Hornet and MH-60R Seahawk from USS Nimitz crash in South China Sea; all crew rescued

An F/A-18F Super Hornet and an MH-60R Seahawk assigned to USS Nimitz went down in the South China Sea during routine flight operations, roughly 30 minutes apart. Carrier Strike Group 11 search-and-rescue forces recovered all personnel, who are reported safe and in stable condition.

Discovered 2025-10-26T15:59:52.474675-07:00 | 2025-10-26T15:59:52.474675-07:00

Briefing

What Hype is tracking

  • The incidents involved carrier flight operations and required Carrier Strike Group 11 search-and-rescue response; they affect near-term carrier air-wing readiness and operational tempo in the South China Sea. See wider context on USS Nimitz’s forward deployments and role here: https://hype.aero/?story=4bce39e8-8652-4b8d-a352-97ba64d598b8

  • The losses remove an MH-60R maritime helicopter and an F/A-18F strike fighter from the operational pool; that has implications for ASW/maritime ISR and strike availability, tied to ongoing fleet-level discussions about MH-60R procurement and Super Hornet capabilities: https://hype.aero/?story=6b319009-3618-458c-a2d2-c4e8cb9f7d98 and https://hype.aero/?story=5e784c06-4f5c-43a2-afaa-6cf6820d7a20

Reported By

helicoptersmagazine.com Axios Travel Radar thetimes.com defenceconnect.com.au Military.com
Sources Tracked
67
First Seen
2025-10-26T15:59:52.474675-07:00
Latest Update
2025-10-29T12:36:18.574823-07:00
Coverage
Defense

Sources

Hype groups these reports into one evolving story so you can compare coverage without losing the thread.

Related Coverage