Enemy Has Ever Shot Down a F/A-18 Super Hornet Fighter. The US Navy Shot One Down Itself

The Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet—nicknamed the “Rhino” by U.S. Navy crews—has never been shot down by enemy fire, according to the article, though it has seen losses tied to friendly fire and accidents. The twin-seat F/A-18F was downed by a Standard Missile-2 launched from USS Gettysburg during operations against Houthi forces in Yemen, with both crew ejected safely. On 28 April 2025, an F/A-18E fell off an elevator of USS Harry Truman to evade Houthi fire; no deaths occurred. Other fatal crashes include 6 April 2011 and later 31 July 2019 and 3 June 2022. The piece also notes a $70 million unit cost, about 632 aircraft built, and production ending after the Navy’s final 17 orders by 2027.