F/A-18E/F Super Hornet

Conflict Usage

Israel-Iran Conflict

Side: United States and partnersRole: Carrier-based strike patrolstrike

In the Israel-Iran Conflict, U.S. carrier air wing F/A-18E/F Super Hornets were used in Operation Epic Fury to project airpower against Iran and support regional deterrence.

Operation Inherent Resolve

Side: United States and coalition partnersRole: Carrier-based strike fighterstrikeprecision fires

In Operation Inherent Resolve, U.S. Navy F/A-18E/F Super Hornets were used from carrier strike groups to fly strike sorties in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations.

Red Sea Crisis

Side: United States and coalition partnersRole: Carrier-based strike and maritime security aircraftstrike

In the Red Sea Crisis, F/A-18E/F Super Hornets were used from carrier decks over the Red Sea as part of the operation against Iran-backed Houthis and the effort to restore freedom of navigation.

War in Afghanistan

Side: United States and coalition partnersRole: Carrier-based strike aircraft for drawdown supportstrikeclose air support

In the War in Afghanistan, U.S. Navy F/A-18E/F Super Hornets were used during drawdown operations over Afghanistan and the broader Afghanistan theater.

F/A-18E/F Super Hornet Images

Related Weapon Systems

Aircraft & UAVsF-16 Fighting FalconMultirole fighter aircraftThe F-16 Fighting Falcon is a U.S.-designed single-engine multirole fighter used for air defense, air-to-air combat, suppression support, and precision strike missions. Israel operates Barak-family F-16C/Ds and the F-16I Sufa, and IDF imagery during the Israel-Hamas War showed Israeli F-16s taxiing to conduct strikes on Hamas targets in Gaza on October 15, 2023.

Aircraft & UAVsF-15 family fighter aircraftFighter aircraft familyThe F-15 family covers U.S. air-superiority and strike variants from the original Eagle to the F-15E Strike Eagle and export derivatives such as the F-15S and F-15I. In this archive it appears in Israeli, Saudi, U.S., and coalition strike and escort roles across the Israel-Hezbollah Conflict, Israel-Iran Conflict, Operation Inherent Resolve, the War in Afghanistan, the Yemeni Civil War, and the United States-Iran Conflict.

Aircraft & UAVsF-35 Lightning IIFifth-generation stealth multirole fighterThe F-35 Lightning II is a single-seat, single-engine stealth fighter family built around sensor fusion, networked targeting, and multirole strike missions. U.S. and Israeli variants have documented post-2015 combat use, including Marine Corps F-35B strikes in Afghanistan, U.S. Air Force F-35A escort and air-defense suppression over Iran, and Israeli F-35I air-to-air combat against Iran.

Aircraft & UAVsMQ-9 ReaperMedium-altitude long-endurance unmanned combat aerial vehicleThe MQ-9 Reaper is a General Atomics medium-altitude, long-endurance remotely piloted aircraft built for persistent intelligence collection and precision strike. Larger and more powerful than the MQ-1 Predator, it combines satellite control, electro-optical and infrared sensors, laser designation, and weapons such as Hellfire missiles and guided bombs, making it a recurring U.S. and coalition platform in counterterrorism, maritime-security, and regional-strike operations.

Aircraft & UAVsEurofighter TyphoonTwin-engine multirole combat aircraftThe Eurofighter Typhoon is a twin-engine, canard-delta multirole fighter built by the European Eurofighter consortium. In the Yemen Civil War context, Royal Saudi Air Force Typhoons are documented as coalition combat aircraft used for airstrike and interdiction missions, supported by UK-supplied weapons and fleet-support arrangements.

Aircraft & UAVsB-1B LancerLong-range, multi-role supersonic bomberThe B-1B Lancer is the U.S. Air Force's long-range, supersonic conventional bomber, built to deliver large payloads of guided and unguided weapons against distant, heavily defended targets. Recent open-source reporting ties the aircraft to Operation Inherent Resolve strikes, Afghan Taliban-target attacks, a U.S. show-of-force flight near Venezuela, and 2026 strikes deep inside Iran during the Israel-Iran Conflict.

Sources