2025 Israel-Iran Conflict

EA-18G Growler in the 2025 Israel-Iran Conflict

U.S. Navy EA-18G Growlers operated from USS Abraham Lincoln during Operation Epic Fury, providing carrier-based electronic attack support in the continuing Israel-Iran conflict.

Weapon profileEA-18G Growler
SideUnited StatesRoleElectronic WarfareTargeting Support
EA-18G Growler, Carrier-capable airborne electronic attack aircraft, Electronic Warfare - 2025 Israel-Iran Conflict
Image source: US Navy 080801-D-8974S-454 An EA-18G Growler conducts

Evidence Map

ClaimSources
U.S. Navy EA-18G Growlers operated from USS Abraham Lincoln in support of Operation Epic Fury.

Sources: CENTCOM Operation Epic Fury Growler, DVIDS Abraham Lincoln Growler Launch

The documented squadron in the official images was VAQ-133.

Sources: CENTCOM Operation Epic Fury Growler, DVIDS Abraham Lincoln Growler Launch

The documented side for this conflict-use entry is the United States.

Sources: CENTCOM Operation Epic Fury Growler, DVIDS Abraham Lincoln Growler Launch

Public reporting described the Growler role in Operation Epic Fury as suppressing, jamming, and attacking radar and surface-to-air missile systems.

Sources: Whidbey News-Times Growlers Critical Factor

The public sources do not identify a specific Growler target, jammer loadout, or weapon release for the cited March 2026 sorties.

Sources: CENTCOM Operation Epic Fury Growler, DVIDS Abraham Lincoln Growler Launch

Timeline

EA-18G Growler In 2025 Israel-Iran Conflict

  1. Canonical conflict begins

    The catalog's 2025 Israel-Iran Conflict record starts with direct Israel-Iran fighting that opened on June 13, 2025.

    Sources: 2025 Israel-Iran Conflict Metadata

  2. VAQ-133 Growler prepared for Operation Epic Fury launch

    CENTCOM identified an EA-18G Growler from VAQ-133 preparing to launch from USS Abraham Lincoln in support of Operation Epic Fury.

    Sources: CENTCOM Operation Epic Fury Growler

  3. VAQ-133 Growler launched from USS Abraham Lincoln

    DVIDS published a U.S. Navy image showing a VAQ-133 EA-18G Growler launching from USS Abraham Lincoln in support of Operation Epic Fury.

    Sources: DVIDS Abraham Lincoln Growler Launch

  4. USS Abraham Lincoln continued Epic Fury flight operations

    DVIDS published U.S. Navy video of sailors aboard USS Abraham Lincoln conducting flight operations during Operation Epic Fury.

    Sources: DVIDS Abraham Lincoln Epic Fury Video

Documented Use

Direct proof of use

The EA-18G Growler appeared in the 2025 Israel-Iran Conflict through U.S. Navy carrier operations during Operation Epic Fury. U.S. Central Command published a March 2, 2026 image caption identifying an EA-18G Growler from Electronic Attack Squadron VAQ-133 preparing to launch from USS Abraham Lincoln in support of Operation Epic Fury.

A second DVIDS image from March 6, 2026 documented another VAQ-133 Growler launching from USS Abraham Lincoln for the same operation. Both official captions place the aircraft on a deployed U.S. carrier in the 5th Fleet area of operations and connect the flight operations to Operation Epic Fury.

Sources: CENTCOM Operation Epic Fury Growler, DVIDS Abraham Lincoln Growler Launch

Timeline

The catalog's canonical 2025 Israel-Iran Conflict begins with the June 2025 Israel-Iran war and remains open for later directly sourced state-on-state engagements. The Growler evidence belongs to the later U.S. phase of that conflict, not to the initial June 2025 Israeli opening strikes.

On March 2, 2026, CENTCOM identified a VAQ-133 EA-18G Growler preparing to launch from USS Abraham Lincoln in support of Operation Epic Fury. On March 6, DVIDS published a companion image showing a VAQ-133 Growler launching from the carrier. On April 7, DVIDS published b-roll of USS Abraham Lincoln conducting flight operations during Operation Epic Fury, supporting the continuing carrier-flight context.

Sources: 2025 Israel-Iran Conflict Metadata, CENTCOM Operation Epic Fury Growler, DVIDS Abraham Lincoln Growler Launch, DVIDS Abraham Lincoln Epic Fury Video

Narrative

The documented user was the United States, with Growlers embarked on USS Abraham Lincoln. The official evidence confirms carrier-based flight operations in support of Operation Epic Fury; it does not identify a particular jammer loadout, sortie target, or weapon release by the Growler.

Public reporting from Whidbey News-Times, using the same Navy imagery, described NAS Whidbey Island Growlers as operating from USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Gerald R. Ford over Iran. The article characterized their role as protecting other aircraft by suppressing, jamming, and destroying radar systems and surface-to-air missile batteries.

For this record, the source-backed conflict role is electronic warfare and suppression of enemy air defenses. The direct proof is the official U.S. imagery of VAQ-133 Growlers launching for Operation Epic Fury; broader statements about air-defense suppression are attributed to public reporting rather than treated as independent confirmation of specific target effects.

Sources: CENTCOM Operation Epic Fury Growler, DVIDS Abraham Lincoln Growler Launch, Whidbey News-Times Growlers Critical Factor

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Sources