The D Brief: Caribbean buildup; Carrier loses two aircraft; Court reverses Guard ruling; China’s AI-powered robots; And a bit more.
Defense One14 hrs
Two US Navy Aircraft Crash in South China Sea, All Crew Safe
Above: An infographic of a crash between an MH-60R Sea Hawk and F/A-18F Super Hornet from the USS Nimitz over the South China Sea on Oct. 27, 2025. Image copyright: Efnan Ipsir/Anadolu/Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-China narrative
U.S. military muscle-flexing in the South China Sea has created dangerous conditions that directly threaten maritime security. These crashes prove that America's aggressive show of force operations destabilize the entire region and put lives at risk unnecessarily.
Pro-establishment narrative
Naval aviation accidents happen during routine operations as carriers maintain critical freedom of navigation missions. The USS Nimitz was conducting legitimate operations in international waters to protect global trade routes used by one-third of maritime commerce worldwide.