The aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman and its embarked Carrier Air Wing 1 executed what defense officials have confirmed as the largest maritime strike in Navy aviation history by bomb tonnage earlier this year.
On Feb. 1, the Truman launched 27 F/A-18 Super Hornets as part of a coordinated operation against Islamic State in Somalia, in collaboration with Somalia’s federal government.
Sixteen of those aircraft released 124,000 pounds of ordnance on designated targets in under two minutes, underscoring the Navy’s growing precision and firepower at sea.
According to a U.S. Africa Command statement issued on Feb. 11, “The joint airstrikes targeted senior ISIS-Somalia leadership in a series of cave complexes approximately 50 miles southeast of Bosaso.”
Here's What They're Not Telling You About Your Retirement
The strikes were meticulously planned to disrupt the group’s command-and-control nodes deep within the rugged terrain of Puntland—an area that has long served as a sanctuary for extremist elements.
“The command’s current assessment is that approximately 14 ISIS-Somalia operatives were killed and no civilians were harmed,” the statement added, marking a clear operational success by minimizing collateral damage.
Among those eliminated was Ahmed Maeleninine, a known ISIS recruiter and operations leader who had orchestrated efforts to dispatch jihadists to both the United States and Europe.
This Could Be the Most Important Video Gun Owners Watch All Year
Defense officials note that while the U.S. military has carried out large-scale strikes before—such as during Operation Desert Storm, when multiple carriers and air wings flew in concert—this Feb. 1 mission was singular in its execution by a single air wing.
That distinction highlights both the Truman’s enhanced capabilities and the proficiency of Carrier Air Wing 1’s pilots and support crews.
The Truman had arrived in the Red Sea on Dec. 14, 2024, to bolster combat operations against Iran-backed Houthi rebels, which had been targeting shipping and military vessels in the region since November 2023.
During this deployment, Carrier Air Wing 1, composed of eight squadrons aboard the Truman, participated in strikes against more than 1,100 Houthi targets, killing hundreds of fighters and eliminating multiple senior Houthi officials, officials say.
Over the course of the deployment, Carrier Air Wing 1 flew more than 13,000 sorties, employed over 770 weapons, and dropped approximately 1.1 million pounds of ordnance.
These figures underscore the scale of modern naval air operations and the Truman’s role as a floating airbase capable of sustained, high-intensity combat missions far from American shores.
Earlier this month, the Truman departed the Red Sea for its homeport at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia.
Its exit followed President Donald Trump’s decision to terminate a nearly two-month-long air campaign against Yemen’s Houthi rebels—a move that shifted the regional strategic calculus back toward defensive postures in the region.
Despite its operational achievements, the deployment was not without setbacks. The Truman’s air wing suffered the loss of three F/A-18 Super Hornets—each valued at no less than $67.4 million, according to the Naval Air Systems Command.
One jet was mistakenly engaged and shot down by friendly fire from the guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg in December.
Two more were lost overboard: the first in April while being towed within the carrier’s hangar bay and the second less than two weeks later following a failed landing.
MORE NEWS: Army Abruptly Scraps Deployment of 4,000 Troops to Poland Amid Chaos and Budget Shortfall
Compounding these incidents, on Feb. 13 the Truman collided with a civilian merchant vessel in the Mediterranean Sea near Port Said, Egypt.
In the aftermath, the Navy relieved the Truman’s commanding officer of his duties, a reminder that even the most advanced ships and crews are vulnerable to navigational hazards and operational pressures.
The Truman’s recent deployment thus serves as both a testament to the carrier force’s formidable strike capabilities and a cautionary tale about the risks inherent in high-tempo naval aviation.
As the Navy continues to refine its tactics and technology, the lessons learned from this historic strike and its accompanying challenges will shape future carrier operations for years to come.
Join the Discussion
COMMENTS POLICY: We have no tolerance for messages of violence, racism, vulgarity, obscenity or other such discourteous behavior. Thank you for contributing to a respectful and useful online dialogue.