F/A-18E Super Hornets and F-35C Lightning lls: US steps up Iran operations from carrier USS Abraham Lincoln

The United States military fighter jets are conducting flight operations against Iran as the Operation Epic Fury intensifies, the ongoing air campaign targeting Iranian military infrastructure.A video footage released online showed F/A-18E Super Hornets and F-35C Lightning II fighter jets assigned to Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW-9) carrying out both daytime and nighttime flight operations aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) on March 12.The carrier was positioned in the Arabian Sea when the operations took place on March 12, 2026, according to the US military.

The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) said the US military is using a wide range of aircraft in the campaign, including the stealth bomber B-2 Spirit and fighter jets such as the F-15 Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-22 Raptor and the Navy’s F/A-18 Super Hornet.Many of the naval aircraft are launching from aircraft carriers operating in the CENTCOM region, including the USS Gerald R. Ford and the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72).According to US officials, these aircraft, along with ground-based assets across the region, have struck thousands of Iranian targets, including several ships.CENTCOM also said a B-52H Stratofortress bomber recently took off for a night mission under Operation Epic Fury, aimed at "eliminating threats" posed by the Iranian "regime" and preventing the country from rebuilding its military capabilities.

The command added that US strikes remain "unpredictable, dynamic, and decisive."

Super Hornet

The F/A-18E/F Super Hornet remains one of the most widely used multirole fighters in the United States Navy and forms the backbone of its carrier air wings.National security analyst Steve Balestrieri recently described the aircraft as the centrepiece of the Navy’s strike packages during Operation Epic Fury.The Super Hornet entered operational service in 1999, replacing the earlier McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet design.

The aircraft is a twin-engine supersonic multirole fighter capable of performing both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions, reflected in its "F/A" designation.Super Hornet is powered by two General Electric F414‑GE‑400 turbofan engines. These engines are designed for rapid maintenance and can be removed by a four-person crew in about 20 minutes.The Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is designed to carry a wide range of weapons.

Its arsenal includes air-to-air missiles such as the AIM-120 AMRAAM, AIM-9 Sidewinder and AIM-7 Sparrow.For strike operations, it can deploy missiles like the AGM-65 Maverick, AGM-84H/K SLAM-ER, AGM-88 HARM, AGM-158 JASSM and the AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon, which are used to strike ground targets, radar systems and fortified infrastructure.The aircraft can also carry various bombs, including Joint Direct Attack Munition precision-guided bombs, the Paveway series of laser-guided bombs and Mark 80 series bombs.

F-35C Lightning II

The F-35C Lightning II represents a new generation of fighter aircraft focused on stealth, real-time intelligence sharing and precision strike capability.Military analysts often describe the aircraft as a platform built for network-centric warfare, capable of gathering, processing and sharing battlefield data with allied forces across air, land, sea, space and cyber domains.Because of its advanced sensors and data-fusion systems, the F-35 can detect threats earlier, engage targets faster and coordinate with other forces, making it a key component of modern US air operations.

B-52 Stratofortress

The B-52H Stratofortress has served as a central pillar of the US strategic bomber fleet for more than six decades.The aircraft can carry a wide range of weapons, including gravity bombs, cluster munitions, precision-guided missiles and Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs).Capable of flying at altitudes of up to 50,000 feet, the bomber can conduct multiple mission types, including strategic attack, close-air support, air interdiction and maritime operations.Modern upgrades have equipped the aircraft with electro-optical sensors, forward-looking infrared systems and advanced targeting pods, enabling more accurate strikes even in poor weather or low-visibility conditions.With aerial refuelling, the bomber’s range is limited mainly by crew endurance, while its unrefuelled combat range exceeds 8,800 miles (14,080 kilometres).The US Air Force expects the aircraft to remain in service until at least 2050, underscoring its continued importance in American military strategy.