Overview
- U.S. Central Command released footage on March 14 showing F/A-18E BuNo 168912, modex 402, preparing to launch from USS Gerald R. Ford during Operation Epic Fury.
- The aircraft, assigned to VFA-87 within Carrier Air Wing 8, is the same Super Hornet credited with downing a Syrian Su-22 in 2017.
- Ford is operating in the Red Sea with aircraft frequently configured for combat air patrol, while USS Abraham Lincoln conducts strike missions from the Arabian Sea, according to official imagery and reporting.
- Carrier air wings in the theater center on multiple Super Hornet squadrons supported by F-35C stealth fighters and EA-18G Growlers, reflecting the Navy’s current force mix.
- The jet flew recent Caribbean missions, and the Ford’s extended deployment has drawn sustainment attention after a small non-combat fire that was contained as the ship remained fully operational.