NORFOLK, Va. — Virginia U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine are expressing concern and frustration over the loss of well over $100 million in taxpayer money and military equipment in three recent F/A-18 fighter jets on the Norfolk-based USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier.
News 3 asked the senators about this during their regularly-scheduled meeting with reporters Thursday.
Watch: Ret. Vice Admiral offers perspective after Navy jet mistakenly shot down
As News 3 has reported, according to the Navy the first of the three fighter jets was accidentally shot down by one of the Truman Carrier Strike Group’s own destroyers.
The second jet slid out of the carrier’s hangar bay as it was being towed and the third jet slid off after the system set up to stop jets after they land failed when the jet landed.
Warner said the U.S. needs a new secretary of defense.
Watch: $60M F/A-18E fighter jet lost at sea after falling overboard from USS Harry S. Truman
“This kind of sloppiness I’ve never seen before. This kind of not only waste of taxpayer money but potential safety hazards for sailors on the Truman. I have said repeatedly Pete Hegseth, the Secretary of Defense, is in way over his head," said Warner.
“I’m very, very troubled by it for a variety of reasons. The expense is significant but that’s the least of my concerns. It’s the length of these deployments and it’s the fact that the U.S. has to have the Harry Truman in the Red Sea to stop Houthi aggression," Kaine said.
Also on the deployment, the carrier collided with a merchant vessel. The ship's commanding officer was replaced as a result.
Watch: USS Harry S. Truman collides with merchant vessel in the Mediterranean Sea
No sailors were seriously injured in any of the incidents.
Kaine said as of Thursday a hearing had been scheduled with the chief of naval operations and the loss of the jets was expected to be a big focus.
