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The Houthis Almost Shot Down an F-35—and Washington Is Panicked (nationalinterest.org)

submitted 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) by geneva_convenience@lemmy.ml to c/worldnews@lemmy.ml

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According to new reporting from the New York Times, a Houthi surface-to-air (SAM) missile barely missed an American F-35 fifth-generation fighter, the crown jewel of the U.S. fighter inventory. The F-35, participating in Operation Rough Rider against the Houthis, was forced to take evasive action to avoid the missile.

The incident raises questions about the survivability of one of America’s most advanced fighters, and raises concerns over how effective the relatively unsophisticated Houthi air defense system has been at hampering U.S. action.

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[-] DragonSidedD@lemmy.ml 98 points 1 month ago

TBF, taking down an advanced USA fighter jet is a tad less impressive when they are apparently falling into the sea on a regular basis

[-] sp3ctr4l@lemmy.dbzer0.com 38 points 1 month ago

At least some of those aircraft appear to be falling into the sea because Aircraft Carriers are having to make rather extreme turns, evasive manuevers, in order to evade other Houthi missiles / drones.

https://www.newsweek.com/satellite-image-shows-us-carrier-that-lost-plane-making-dramatic-turn-2065407

[-] UltraGiGaGigantic@lemmy.ml 3 points 1 month ago

Inflatable bumpers that can be activated during emergency maneuvers to keep planes on deck.

Please donate my billion dollar idea profits to lemmy in my name. Thanks.

[-] Carl@hexbear.net 30 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Critical support for both the Houthis and Poseidon

[-] dessalines@lemmy.ml 25 points 1 month ago

Scoreboard |

--- |

US aircraft carriers | 0 Poseidon's trident | 2

[-] doubtingtammy@lemmy.ml 3 points 1 month ago

Also Lockheed

[-] Kbobabob@lemmy.world 27 points 1 month ago

Those were F/A-18 Super Hornets from the aircraft carrier. Not as advanced as you might think.

[-] nightwatch_admin@feddit.nl 23 points 1 month ago

Advanced enough to not take a swim while on duty.

[-] Brisket@lemmy.ca 8 points 1 month ago

Well, they're not the so-so hornets. So like, a little advanced.

[-] DragonSidedD@lemmy.ml 5 points 1 month ago

True. Still, not exactly something 3rd world countries (or many 2nd-world) can produce.

[-] NauticalNoodle@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 month ago

based on the impact of war and how people have been living there in Yemen for the past decade, I'd say "3rd world" is a reasonable assumption/classification.