Aviation

US Navy recovers F/A-18E fighter from Mediterranean Sea

he USS Harry S. Truman’s F/A-18E Super Hornet aircraft, belonging to Carrier Air Wing, blew overboard on July 8, 2022, as a result of unexpectedly severe weather in the Mediterranean Sea.

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The USS Harry S. Truman’s F/A-18E Super Hornet aircraft, belonging to Carrier Air Wing, blew overboard on July 8, 2022, as a result of unexpectedly severe weather in the Mediterranean Sea. The aircraft was successfully recovered by the US Navy.

An expedition from Task Force (CTF) 68, the Harry S. Truman, Naval Strike Fighter Wing Atlantic, and the U.S. Sixth Fleet aboard the multipurpose construction vessel (MPV) Everest was tasked with recovering the aircraft from a depth of roughly 9,500 feet.

A CURV-21 remotely operated vehicle was used to rescue the aircraft by fastening specialised rigging and lift lines to it. The aero plane was raised to the surface and hoisted onto Everest using a lifting hook that was fastened to the gear.

Within 27 days of the disaster, we were able to perform safe recovery operations thanks to the united team’s quick response, which included SUPSALV and Phoenix International personnel, according to salvage officer Lt. Cmdr. Miguel Lewis of the U.S. Sixth Fleet. “To reach the timeline, our task-specific crew worked effectively and safely. The fact that the search and retrieval took less than 24 hours is a real credit to the team’s commitment and competence.

The recovery attempts show off the U.S. Navy’s capacity to carry out international deep-water search and recovery operations. The delivery of the aircraft was made to a military facility nearby from where it will be flown to the United States.

Aviation

COMAC Unveils Plans for the C929 to Rival Airbus and Boeing

After the success of China’s first C919 aircraft, the country is setting its sights on developing a larger plane. COMAC (Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China) has officially confirmed plans to build a widebody aircraft, marking a significant step in its aircraft lineup.

Traditionally, Airbus and Boeing dominate the widebody aircraft market, with decades of expertise in developing planes and engines capable of carrying heavy payloads. China, which currently relies on imported engines, is now aiming to challenge these giants with its own widebody jet, the C929, designed to compete with the Airbus A350 and Boeing 777.

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The C929 will be China’s first independently developed long-range widebody aircraft. It adheres to international airworthiness standards and boasts independent intellectual property rights. The baseline version is designed to seat 280 passengers and offers a range of 12,000 kilometers, catering to global demand for both regional and international air travel.

Russia, which also needs reliable narrowbody and widebody aircraft, could become a key customer for the C929. Additionally, China plans to target the broader Asian market as it continues to expand its aviation capabilities.

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China’s aviation progress includes the ARJ21 (now called C909), a regional jet with 100 seats for shorter routes, and the C919, a narrowbody jet with 180 seats designed to rival the Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A320. Both models have found increasing demand in the domestic market.

At China’s largest air show in Zhuhai, COMAC announced that Air China will be the launch customer for the C929 widebody jet, though details about order size and delivery timelines were not disclosed.

Other major deals announced by COMAC include:

Hainan Airlines: Firm orders for 60 C919 and 40 C909 regional jets.
Colorful Guizhou Airlines: 30 C909 jets, with 20 firm orders and 10 provisional agreements.

The C929, renamed from the CR929 after Russia withdrew from the joint development project in 2023, is expected to carry 280–400 passengers with a range of 12,000 kilometers, competing directly with Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner.

According to COMAC’s deputy general manager, Tong Yu, the first fuselage section of the C929 is expected by September 2027, with prototype test flights anticipated soon after.