Direct proof of use
The F-15E Strike Eagle was used by U.S. Air Force units in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Official Air Force coverage from March 2003 reported a pair of F-15E Strike Eagles attacking a Ba'ath Party headquarters building northeast of Basra, while a Seymour Johnson Air Force Base squadron history states that the 335th Fighter Squadron deployed 24 F-15Es for Iraqi Freedom and Southern Watch and flew 1,500 sorties totaling 7,000 flying hours.
Air Force imagery and reporting also place F-15Es in the Iraq theater after the invasion phase. A June 2006 Air Force photo feature showed F-15E Strike Eagles taxiing at Balad Air Base after Operation Iraqi Freedom missions, and Air Combat Command reported that two F-15Es flew the GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bomb's first combat sortie while providing close air support for ground troops operating in Iraq.
Sources: Strike Eagles destroy Ba'ath leadership facility, 335th Fighter Squadron Fact Sheet, Flying missions support Operation Iraqi Freedom, ACC declares small diameter bomb initially operational
Timeline
In February 2003, the 335th Fighter Squadron deployed to the region for Operation Iraqi Freedom with F-15Es. On March 28, 2003, Air Force reporting identified F-15E Strike Eagles in an attack on a Ba'ath Party headquarters building in southern Iraq. On April 7, 2003, an F-15E deployed from the 4th Fighter Wing went down in Iraq, confirming continued combat operations by the type during the initial campaign.
By June 2006, F-15Es were still flying Operation Iraqi Freedom missions from Balad Air Base. On October 5, 2006, a two-ship F-15E formation from the 494th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron carried GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bombs in combat for the first time while supporting troops in Iraq.
Sources: 335th Fighter Squadron Fact Sheet, Strike Eagles destroy Ba'ath leadership facility, 2 airmen missing after F-15E goes down in Iraq, Flying missions support Operation Iraqi Freedom, ACC declares small diameter bomb initially operational
Narrative
During the 2003 Iraq War, the Strike Eagle's documented role centered on U.S. and coalition air operations against Iraqi regime, command, and ground-force targets. The 335th Fighter Squadron history describes precision and non-precision munition employment against targets including Iraqi leadership, command-and-control bunkers, artillery, and Republican Guard units. The March 28, 2003 Basra-area strike is a specific documented example of F-15E use against a regime-linked facility.
The aircraft also remained part of the air component during the occupation and insurgency phase covered by the catalog's 2003-2011 conflict record. Balad Air Base imagery documents F-15E post-mission operations in June 2006, and the October 2006 Small Diameter Bomb debut ties the aircraft to close air support for ground troops in Iraq.
Sources: 335th Fighter Squadron Fact Sheet, Strike Eagles destroy Ba'ath leadership facility, Flying missions support Operation Iraqi Freedom, ACC declares small diameter bomb initially operational
