USS Truman Carried Out Largest Carrier Airstrike in History

During its recent deployment to the Mideast, the USS Harry S. Truman launched the largest airstrike ever conducted from an aircraft carrier - before Truman's monthlong bombing campaign over Yemen even began.

According to acting chief of naval operations Adm. James Kilby, Truman's air wing dropped 125,000 pounds of ordnance over a target in Somalia - nearly enough to fill two B-52 strategic bombers.

U.S. officials told Business Insider and Defense News that the attack happened on February 1, when 27 F/A-18 Super Hornets took off from Truman and headed for a target zone about 50 miles to the southeast of Bosaso. 16 of the aircraft made one bombing run on a cave complex used by the Somali branch of terrorist group ISIS.

In a two-minute span, an estimated 14 militants were killed, roughly one individual for every four tonnes of ordnance deployed. According to U.S. Africa Command, the deceased included known ISIS leader Ahmed Maeleninine, who led efforts to infiltrate the group's terrorists into countries in the West.

The airwing returned to Truman without casualties after the sortie, but was not always so lucky during the rest of the deployment. In early May, an F/A-18 fighter came in for a landing and touched down aboard Truman, but the arresting cable system failed to halt it and the aircraft went over the side. Two pilots ejected successfully, and they were rescued by one of the carrier's helicopters.

In April, Truman was forced to turn hard to avoid an incoming Houthi munition, and an F/A-18 fighter rolled over the side from the hangar deck elevator, along with the tractor that was towing it. One crewmember sustained slight injuries, but none were killed or pulled over the side in the incident.

In December, one of Truman's escorts - the cruiser USS Gettysburg - accidentally shot down one of the carrier's F/A-18 fighters with an anti-aircraft missile following an engagement with Houthi drones and missiles. Both pilots ejected successfully and were rescued. .