Operation Epic Fury Week Four: The US Is Still Sending More
Four weeks into Operation Epic Fury, the US military continues deploying additional assets to the Middle East.
More F-16s From Japan
The latest F-16 deployment draws aircraft from Misawa Air Base in Japan, adding a Pacific Air Forces component to deployments that had previously come from European bases at Aviano and Spangdahlem and East Coast bases at Shaw and McEntire. The Misawa jets transited through Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina before beginning the Atlantic crossing, which was delayed due to tanker availability issues.
KC-135 #VINYL63-65 & #VINYL73-75 are out with “WW” F-16s #SPINE11 (x6) & #SPINE21 (x6) flt, which are en route to Spangdahlem AB from Shaw AFB after arriving there a few weeks ago. KC-135 #VINYL66 & #VINYL76 from RAF Mildenhall will pick up the drag around 35W. pic.twitter.com/7UJRnNNdbH
— EISNspotter (@EISNspotter) March 21, 2026
Up to 24 F-16CM Block 50 Fighting Falcons from Misawa and Shaw are headed to Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany as a staging point. Six arrived on March 19, twelve more on March 21, and the final six reportedly arrived March 22. Several departed Spangdahlem on March 23 bound for undisclosed locations in the Middle East where F-16s have already been deployed to multiple bases.
This may be the last major foreign deployment for Misawa’s F-16s. The base is transitioning to the F-35A Lightning II and has already begun transferring F-16s to other installations including Osan Air Base in South Korea.
Additional Growlers and Jamming Pods
Six EA-18G Growlers departed Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia on March 16, staging through Lajes Air Base in the Azores before continuing to the Middle East on March 21. Notably, some of the departing Growlers were equipped with AN/ALQ-249 Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band pods alongside external fuel tanks, adding electronic warfare capacity to a campaign that has already been using Growlers intensively.
KC-135 #BORA13-14 are out with three more EA-18G Growlers off NAS Oceana for Lajes as #MAZDA81 flt. https://t.co/o4vATFFXbL pic.twitter.com/5pVDQEdSix
— EISNspotter (@EISNspotter) March 17, 2026
Throughout the operation Growlers have been flying suppression and destruction of enemy air defense missions. Photographs show some sorties carrying four AGM-88 anti-radiation missiles for targeting enemy radars, a heavier anti-radiation missile load than the typical two-missile configuration.
Reinforcing Airborne Early Warning
Five E-2D Advanced Hawkeyes staged through Lajes on March 16 alongside the first Growler flight, moved to Aviano Air Base in Italy on March 21, and departed for the Middle East on March 23. Whether they will join one of the two carrier air wings operating in the region or a land-based unit has not been confirmed.
Several EA-18Gs, E-2Ds, and KC-46s departed Lajes this morning, heading east.
📸 Kurt Mendonça #Lajes #USNavy #USAF pic.twitter.com/QerjcHUQVF— Silva_Azores🇵🇹 (@Azorean_Lion) March 21, 2026
The E-2D carries the AN/APY-9 active electronically scanned array radar, which is particularly effective at detecting low-signature targets including one-way attack drones and cruise missiles flying at low altitude and slow speed. These characteristics address one of the persistent detection challenges of the campaign. The E-2Ds will operate alongside Air Force E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft and a Royal Australian Air Force E-7A Wedgetail already deployed to the region.
A Second Amphibious Ready Group
The USS Boxer ARG, comprising the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer, dock landing ship USS Comstock, and amphibious transport dock USS Portland along with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, is now sailing toward the Middle East after an accelerated departure from the West Coast. The ARG had recently completed pre-deployment certification exercises and the 11th MEU was already aboard when deployment orders arrived.
The Boxer Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), comprised of the USS Boxer (LHD-4), USS Comstock (LSD-45), and the USS Portland (LPD-27) with the embarked 11th Marine Expeditionary Group (MEU), is on its way to the Middle East after departing the U.S. west coast for deployment. pic.twitter.com/EjNYNi4BvP
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) March 19, 2026
The Boxer ARG will join the USS Tripoli ARG, which includes USS Tripoli and USS New Orleans and is already en route. Two ARGs converging on the region simultaneously represents a significant amphibious capability being positioned in theater.
The 82nd Airborne Question
The cancellation of a major training exercise for elements of the 82nd Airborne Division earlier this month was confirmed by officials but not explained. Reports have now resurfaced claiming elements of the division may have already arrived in the Middle East, with aviation spotters noting cargo flights from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, the division’s home base, arriving in the region.
No deployment order has been officially confirmed. The 82nd Airborne is the US Army’s premier rapid deployment force, capable of deploying a Brigade Combat Team of 4,000 to 5,000 soldiers within 18 hours of notification. The US government has not ruled out ground operations in Iran but states no decision has been made.
