According to new reporting from the New York Times, a Houthi surface-to-air (SAM) missile barely missed an American F-35 fifth-generation fighter, the crown jewel of the U.S. fighter inventory. The F-35, participating in Operation Rough Rider against the Houthis, was forced to take evasive action to avoid the missile.
The incident raises questions about the survivability of one of America’s most advanced fighters, and raises concerns over how effective the relatively unsophisticated Houthi air defense system has been at hampering U.S. action.
To be completely accurate: Paul Van Riper was already retired when he agreed to lead red force in MC02. After it was clear that red force was winning, they stopped the exercise and restarted it with a bunch of new restrictions on what red force was allowed to do. Essentially, scripting the win for blue force.