“The collision involved two U.S. Navy EA-18G Growlers from the Electronic Attack Squadron 129”
Why would specialized and I assume abnormally expensive aircraft be used at an air show?
And would pilots of such aircraft be used to flying close together?
Following the mid-air collision on May 17, 2026, which destroyed two aircraft, the U.S. Navy’s operational EA-18G Growler fleet is reduced from 160 to 158 aircraft.
This total fleet number, confirmed in official budget documents as of April 2025, includes all active, training, and reserve aircraft. The two aircraft lost were part of the EA-18G Growler Demo Team and assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron 129 (VAQ-129), the Navy’s Fleet Replacement Squadron responsible for training.
With Boeing having ended Growler production, the fleet is finite, and these two losses permanently reduce the Navy’s inventory of this critical electronic warfare asset.
*Leo AI in the Brave browser
Appears after ejection, computers of both aircraft tried to maintain flight.