US Navy says it recovered two aircraft that crashed into South China Sea

An MH-60R Sea Hawk takes off from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz during flight operations in the US Central Command area of responsibility. Seaman Edward Jacome/Digital/USS Nimitz

The US Navy has recovered two aircraft that crashed into the South China Sea in October while flying off the USS Nimitz, the service said in a statement Tuesday.

An unmanned system on a contracted vessel was used to lift the aircraft – an F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet and MH-60 helicopter – from a depth of 400 feet (122 meters) on December 5, the Navy said.

While neither are the most modern of the Navy’s aircraft, experts say the wrecks could have yielded useful intelligence if they had fallen into the hands of an adversary.

“Everyone involved brought critical expertise ensuring we could saf