The U.S. Navy has confirmed that a pilot from VFA-83 ‘Rampagers’ was safely recovered from the sea after ejecting from an F/A-18E Super Hornet during a training flight.
The Navy says the pilot ejected from the single-seat fighter aircraft at approximately 09:53 EDT (13:53 UTC) on Aug. 20, 2025. Search and rescue (SAR) assets were soon deployed, recovering the pilot at 11:21 EDT (15:21 UTC) and transferring them to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital for medical evaluation.
In its statement, the Navy also confirmed that the pilot involved is assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron 83 (VFA-83), otherwise known as the ‘Rampagers’. VFA-83 is based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia, and most recently was deployed on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower during its eventful deployment to Europe and the Middle East.
*6052 is a MH-60T
— Thenewarea51 (@thenewarea51) August 20, 2025
An MH-60T Jayhawk and HC-130J Hercules from the U.S. Coast Guard were deployed to conduct SAR alongside a U.S. Navy MH-60S Knighthawk. According to flight tracking enthusiasts, the pilot was recovered by the Jayhawk, serial number 6052.
After the ejection, the Super Hornet subsequently crashed into the sea. The stricken aircraft remains on the seabed. Investigations into the cause of the incident are now underway, which will likely involve some recovery efforts to retrieve parts of or even the entire airframe from the water.
The mishap marks the fourth ‘hull-loss’ incident involving the U.S. Navy’s Super Hornets in the past year, following the loss of three airframes during the USS Harry S. Truman’s deployment. Additionally, a Super Hornet derived EA-18G Growler crashed into San Diego bay in February of this year.
This is an emerging story which will be updated as and when further information is available.
