The wing delivered more than 1.37 million pounds of ordnance during that campaign while also defending the carrier strike group. The Navy said its targets included offensive missile sites, production facilities, military infrastructure and naval combatants.
Operation Epic Fury began February 28 under a direct presidential order and continued until an early April ceasefire. The wing’s deployment-wide totals of 14,037 sorties and 31,460 flight hours cover the broader period following its embarkation on November 21, 2025.
F-35Cs, Super Hornets and Growlers in combat
The wing combined F-35C Lightning II fighters with F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft. The Navy said their integration enabled operations in highly contested airspace and tested its “Air Wing of the Future” concept in combat.
“The rapid mobilization and combat execution of CVW-9 during Operation Epic Fury demonstrated the unmatched flexibility of a U.S. Navy carrier strike group,” said Capt. J.W. Stigi, the wing’s commander. “Pairing fifth-generation F-35C stealth and sensor fusion with fourth-generation workhorse strike and electronic attack platforms, Team Shogun destroyed Iran’s conventional Navy and secured vital maritime chokepoints in support of our commander’s objectives.”
Carrier Air Wing 9 served as the strike group’s primary offensive force during the deployment. Its nine squadrons provided fighter, electronic attack, airborne command-and-control, helicopter and logistics capabilities.
Sustaining operations for more than 310 days
The Navy said the wing safely completed its sorties while operating at sea for more than 310 days. Maintenance teams supported aircraft readiness throughout that period, demonstrating what the service described as a high degree of self-sufficiency.
“Our maintenance teams and aircrew sustained a relentlessly high operational tempo under demanding conditions,” said Capt. Kristen Findlay, the wing’s deputy commander. “Their performance ensured our aircraft were ready when the mission demanded it most and demonstrated that an aircraft carrier and carrier air wing remain the Navy’s premier team for generating combat power from sea.”
The wing includes Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 314 and Super Hornet squadrons VFA-14, VFA-41 and VFA-151. Its remaining units are VAQ-133, VAW-117, HSM-71, HSC-14 and VRM-30.
The strike group’s destroyers include USS Frank E. Petersen Jr., which serves as its integrated air and missile defense commander, USS Spruance and USS Michael Murphy. Spruance and Michael Murphy remain underway supporting maritime security operations in the U.S. 7th Fleet and U.S. 5th Fleet areas.
The wing’s sailors and Marines will now enter a period of rest and recovery. The deployment brought together precision strikes, electronic attack and strike-group defense during combat operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet area.
