The US Navy has launched a major recovery operation to lift two crashed aircraft from the floor of the South China Sea, amid concerns that the debris could offer China access to sensitive military technology, CNN reported.
According to CNN, an F/A-18 Super Hornet and an MH-60 helicopter went down within half an hour of each other in late October during routine operations involving the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz.
While the cause of the incidents has not been formally identified, US President Donald Trump told reporters shortly afterward that contaminated fuel “may be to blame.” All personnel aboard the aircraft were safely rescued.
A Navy spokesperson confirmed to CNN that a salvage vessel is currently conducting recovery work but did not disclose the exact crash site or the ship’s position.
“USNS SALVOR (T-ARS 52), a Safeguard-class salvage ship operated by Military Sealift Command, is on-scene conducting operations in support of the recovery efforts,” Cmdr. Matthew Comer of the US 7th Fleet said.
Documents cited by CNN show that the Salvor can lift up to 300 tons from the seabed. The newest F/A-18 variants aboard the Nimitz weigh roughly 33 tons at maximum takeoff, while the MH-60 helicopter weighs about 11 tons.
Military analysts told CNN that despite not being the Navy’s most advanced platforms, the aircraft could provide valuable intelligence if retrieved by an adversary.
Carl Schuster, former director of operations at the US Pacific Command’s Joint Intelligence Center, said acquiring the wreckage of an American jet would “provide valuable insights into its technological strengths and how to defeat it tactically.”
Schuster noted that no F/A-18 has ever landed in Chinese possession, adding that such access could help Beijing enhance its carrier-based J-15T aircraft, which are not considered as advanced as the American fighters.
He also pointed out that the MH-60 is equipped with anti-submarine warfare systems that remain ahead of China’s own capabilities. “China is now prioritizing the upgrading of its anti-submarine warfare systems. So, recovering that helicopter should enjoy a high priority,” he said.
CNN reported that it has not been able to verify whether China is attempting to reach the crash sites. Beijing maintains sweeping claims over the South China Sea, disregarding an international tribunal ruling that rejected those assertions.
The current US operation mirrors a 2022 recovery effort, when an F-35 fighter was successfully lifted from a depth of 12,400 feet after crashing while trying to land aboard the USS Carl Vinson, CNN recalled.
China’s Foreign Ministry reacted to the latest crashes by saying it could extend humanitarian assistance if needed.
At the same time, spokesperson Guo Jiakun criticised US activity in the region, stating that the accidents took place during what he called “US military exercises.”
He said, “The US has been flexing its muscles by frequently sending military vessels and aircraft to the South China Sea. This is the root cause of security issues at sea and disruption to regional peace and stability.”
Schuster warned that China’s proximity to the crash zone could give it a “homefield advantage,” telling CNN that Beijing could move to impede US recovery efforts “if possible.”
The US continues to maintain a strong military presence in the region, saying China’s expansive territorial claims and growing military infrastructure threaten freedom of navigation through one of the world’s busiest maritime routes, CNN added.
