Earlier today, Iranian forces launched an attack on several targets across the Middle East, releasing videos showing the launch of cruise missiles and anti-ship ballistic missiles from mobile truck launchers. This appears to have been a response to a U.S. operation carried out this morning, which escorted two merchant ships through the Strait of Hormuz and out of the Persian Gulf.
During the U.S. mission, dubbed “Project Freedom,” several U.S. AH-64 Apache and MH-60 Seahawk helicopters sank six Iranian boats that the U.S. claimed were threatening commercial shipping. During the operation, it was also reported that Iran had launched new attacks aimed at American warships as well as merchant vessels.
During a press conference, Navy Adm. Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), spoke with the press. Below are some key points.
“We have an enormous amount of capability and firepower concentrated in and around the strait, including AH-64 Apache and MH-60 Seahawk helicopters used just this morning to eliminate six Iranian small boats threatening commercial shipping. So we’re backing up commitment with action,” he continued. “We also have A-10s, F-15s, F-16s, F/A-18s, F-35s, EA-18 Growlers, RC-135s, KC-46s, and KC-135 fixed-wing aircraft, and numerous U.S. warships, including destroyers, two carrier strike groups, an amphibious readiness group, and a Marine Expeditionary Unit.”
Remarks to media today from Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander, on Project Freedom: pic.twitter.com/kIFFLf2vpd
“The cruise missiles were going after both U.S. Navy ships, but mostly after commercial shipping,” Cooper added when asked about attacks so far. “We defended both ourselves and, consistent with our commitment, we defended all those commercial ships.”
Guided-missile destroyer USS Pinckney (DDG 91) observes a merchant vessel while on patrol enforcing the U.S. blockade against Iran. As of today, 50 commercial vessels have been redirected by U.S. forces to ensure compliance. pic.twitter.com/wm7onmQCke
“The President has also said that if the process [Project Freedom] is interfered with, we will react forcefully. And over the last 12 hours, Iran has interfered. The IRGC [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] has launched multiple cruise missiles, drones, and small boats at ships we are protecting. We have defeated each and every one of those threats through the clinical application of defensive munitions.”
“I can confirm there’s been no U.S. military ship hit, and there’s been no U.S.-flagged ship that has been hit.”
The UAE Minister of Defence said on social media that UAE air defense systems “engaged 12 ballistic missiles, 3 cruise missiles, and 4 UAVs launched from Iran, resulting in 3 moderate injuries.” The minister was referring to three Indian nationals moderately injured in a drone strike on the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone. The attack appears to have hit the connecting pipes that lead to a terminal used to load oil onto tankers.
Following the downing of a U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle the U.S. carried out a rescue operation behind Iranian lines. The operation took place over the course of two days and involved a large number of aircraft.
At this point before we go any further I’d like to say that this account of events is what I believe to have happened going off of images and videos and public statements from officials (both named and unnamed) ,to the best of my ability. It’s very likely some information was intentionally released to mislead or deceive.There are reports of the CIA being involved in the effort to persuade the Iranians that the weapons systems officer was located somewhere else than where rescue efforts were focused. For some reason after the mission was complete the CIA disclosed this information to media outlets via their public relations office. President Trump and Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff also offered up details of this operation and all of its complexities after its conclusion however this is the governments account of the events, a fact which should be taken into account when going through the information.
Image shows an overview of the area for the whole operation. The helicopter symbol shows the earliest sighting of US forces. The majority of the sightings were geolocated between there and the FOB- forward operating base, set up closer to where the crash site was geolocated.
On April 3rd, 2026 it was reported that a US F-15E Strike Eagle from the 494th Fighter Squadron out of RAF Lakenheath had been lost somewhere over the western region of Iran. This was the first time a U.S. fighter has been lost from enemy combat since the start of the war. By the time the incident was reported, videos were being posted by locals from the area showing what appears to be CSAR (Combat Search and Rescue) units attempting to locate the two crewmen- call signs DUDE44 Bravo and DUDE44 Alpha, from the downed F-15E.
Iranian channels publish footage of U.S. Air Force HC-130J Combat King II and HH-60G Pave Hawk search and rescue (SAR) aircraft conducting an operation in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province in southern Iran this afternoon.
— Status-6 (War & Military News) (@Archer83Able) April 3, 2026
The first crewmember was rescued the day of the shootdown. At the time I personally was informed of the shootdown (About 15 minutes before the stories dropped on mainstream) I was already seeing videos of US aircraft flying low over western Iran. It was pretty clear based on the assets we were seeing that a Combat Search and Rescue operation was underway. A HC-130 Combat King II (CSAR C-130 variant), flanked by 2 HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters. These aircraft are specifically designed to go behind enemy lines and rescue downed pilots. All three can fly very low over a search area to locate downed pilots. The Combat King operates as a sort of mobile command post and surveillance platform. It’s able to refuel the helicopters and carries refueling pods on underwing pylons and additional internal fuel tanks in the cargo bay. The plane has also been modified and given the ability to receive fuel from boom equipped tankers.
A U.S. Air Force HC-130J “Combat King II” Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) Aircraft seen flying extremely low over the countryside of Southern Iran, as the search continues for the crew of a downed American F-15E Strike Eagle. pic.twitter.com/vQL7umqmYy
The first day’s operation was, by all accounts, a success as the pilot of the Strike Eagle was rescued by one of the Pave Hawk helicopters and extracted. As the CSAR units entered Iran a number of fighters, including an A-10 and drones were “violently suppressing and engaging the enemy in a close-in gunfight to keep them away from the front seater” according to General Caine. On the way out of Iran the rescue helicopters took a significant amount of ground fire and several people were injured as well as the helicopters being damaged, however they managed to get the pilot back to safety. By this time, it appears that they knew where the Weapon Systems Officer was, however they didn’t want to risk losing a helicopter and its crew to ground fire, especially when they had been stirring up the hornets nest for several hours already. The mission had been supported by a number of other aerial units, reportedly several F-35’ and the A-10 that was mentioned above. That A-10, which was reportedly the main point of contact with DUDE44 Alpha “was hit by enemy fire,” said Caine. “This pilot continued to fight, continued the mission, and then upon exit, flew his aircraft into another country and determined that the airplane was not land-able. The pilot then made the decision to eject over friendly territory, and was quickly and safely recovered and is doing fine.” The A-10 incident likely caused alot of the confusion that occurred on that first day as people read stories about two pilots being recovered they mistakenly thought that they were referring to both Strike Eagle crewmen.
As they were extracting the pilot, under reported heavy ground fire several people were injured and the helicopters were damaged. However the pilot was flown to safety and everybody made it back. A low-level rescue mission across Iran seems pretty crazy but the operation shifted into an even bolder phase on Day 2.
On Day 2 it was revealed that two C-130 (MC-130 variants?) had landed at a small agriculture landing strip roughly 33 miles south of Isfahan- a major Iranian city that, with its missile production complexes, airbases, and uranium conversion facilitate is an important hub for the Iranian military and the IRGC.
Images showing the planes at the airstrip that was used as a FOB (Forward Operating Base) for the rescue.
Images were released showing that U.S. forces had taken over the above mentioned airstrip and had set up a forward operating base of sorts. After the operation concluded President Trump revealed that “hundreds” of people had taken part in the operation. This leads us to believe that the force they landed at that airport was significant.
The Weapon systems officer was reportedly hiding at the top of a mountain that he had climbed after ejecting from his airplane and being separated from the pilot. Almost 50 hours after the plane was shot down the operation to rescue the wounded WSO began on Easter Sunday.
“He scaled cliff faces bleeding rather profusely, treated his own wounds and contacted American forces to transmit his location,”
President Donald Trump speaking about the WSO.
According to President Trump once the WSO was located a massive force was mobilized to retrieve him from his hiding spot. The force involved 155 aircraft, including four bombers, 64 fighters, 48 refueling tankers, 13 rescue aircraft and more. The four bombers, likely B-1 Lancers or B-52’s cratered a number of roads leading to the mountain where the WSO was hiding, dropping at least 100 2000lb bombs according to the Wall Street Journal article linked below.
Some of those roads can be seen on satellite images released in the days since.
Images shows some of the blast left by 2000lb bombs dropped by the U.S. during the rescue operation.
Not all of the assets listed above were involved in the main effort to rescue the stranded WSO, in fact according to the White House many of the airplanes were used in diversion tactics, running strikes to cause confusion and keep the Irans running around. At this point several thousand Iranians were running around trying to capture the American. The longer this mission went on the more dangerous it was for everybody involved.
While all of these was happening a refueling and rearming point had been established at the farm airstrip and two MC-130J special operations cargo planes that included several little bird helicopters and other equipment and soldiers.
After the wounded WSO was recovered he was pulled back to this farm landing strip. Trump said that with the MC-130s were stuck in the wet, sandy soil, “we blew them up to smithereens.” The helicopters brought in by plane were also blown up in place as well, because the aircraft that replaced the Commando IIs weren’t capable of exfilling them and leaving them intact ment leaving them in the hands of the enemy. To replace the stuck cargo special forces cargo planes they brought in “lighter, faster aircraft…” said Trump” came in and brought them out.”
Several images mashed together shows the site where the MC-130’s were destroyed by U.S. forces. You can see which way they were facing from what is left. The landing site after the destruction of the MC-130’s and helicopters.
Estimated location of 2 hc/mc 130 and 2 little birds south of Isfahan. Est C: 32.258394, 51.901927 Satellite imagery from Landsat confirms that an old runway was used as a forward operating location for last night's rescue mission. A burn mark from the deliberately destroyed… pic.twitter.com/ZJbAmhZ5Ky
— Major Sammer Pal Toorr (Infantry Combat Veteran) (@samartoor3086) April 5, 2026
This post shows some video taken after the operation. The videos show the landing field where the U.S. set up its base for the operation.
It’s almost certain the airplane he is talking about is the CASA C-295W Perssauder, a short take off and landing twin turboprop plane that are modified with special forces operations in mind.
Spotted flying at low level over western Iran this morning; a C-295W from the USAF’s 427th Special Operations Squadron, a clandestine unit that reportedly specializes in infiltration and exfiltration into enemy territory. pic.twitter.com/4UfAFj7AQb
Video of the backup exfill plane heading to pick up the U.S. personnel who’s plane got stuck in the sand.
At least one of these was filmed by locals coming into the region at the end of Sunday. As @OSINTTechnical mentions these are from the 427th Special Operations Squadron and specifically handle infiltration and exfiltration from hostile territory.
A better look at the C-295W Perssauder.
This is the plane that ultimately brought the WSO out of enemy territory after his multi-day ordeal, climbing a mountain and being shot down and injured behind enemy lines.
We know that Israeli forces also aided in reconnaissance and intelligence information regarding the location and status of the WSO during his time hiding from Iranian forces.
During the time of the rescue Fox News and several other outlets reported a strike being ordered using B-2 Spirit stealth bombers loaded with Massive Ordnance Penetrators to strike an IRGC underground headquarters outside of the Iranian capital, Tehran.
You can be sure there is much about this strike that will remain unknown until somebody writes a book about it. Until then this is everything GCR has managed to gather since the two crew were first reported down inside of Iranian borders.
Sources
(There was some great reporting done on this whole thing, I’d like to list a couple here as well as some extra videos and post)
❗️The United States has launched a large-scale search and evacuation operation for the pilots of an F-15 fighter jet shot down this morning in western Iran.
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The U.S. confirms a Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II (Warthog) has been shot over the Persian Gulf. This aircraft was believed to have been a part of today’s C-SAR mission to recover the downed F-15E pilots in Iran or operating independently running operations near the strait. An A-10 was seen earlier near the area where the F-15E Strike Eagle was downed.
The U.S. has confirmed the aircraft was downed/shot but have yet to say what weapon hit the aircraft. The pilot has already been recovered and is alive (some reports say he is receiving medical attention).The pilot managed to limp the aircraft to Kuwaiti airspace and ejected there, with the plane going down in Kuwait.
This video was released by Iran as evidence of a shoot down however this aircraft looks more like an MQ-9 drone instead of an A-10.
The A-10 is a ground-attack jet, known for its 30mm GAU-8 cannon and ability to operate at low altitude in contested environments. It is thought of by the soldiers whose lives it’s saved as the “King of CAS” however it is also useful in this conflict for interdicting Iranian fast attack boats and minelayers, and also being used to hit Iranian backed militia targets in Iraq. It is heavily armored and can carry a variety of munitions. The A-10 is also likely nearing the end of its service as some in the Air Force leadership continue to push for its retirement. While other platforms can do CAS work, like the F-16 and F-35, neither is a designated CAS platform and as such does the job with less success.
The videos have all been geolocated by GCR to an area of western/southwestern Iran. The search area appears very large — two of the videos when geolocated show areas at least 150 miles apart. One is a bridge going over the Karun River in Khuzestan province, the other video shows an A-10 thought to be providing air cover for C-SAR assets located 150 miles south near Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province.
A U.S. Air Force fighter has been shot down over Iran according to two U.S. officials who spoke with the Washington Post. The fighter, an F-15E Strike Eagle from the 494th Fighter Squadron (“Panthers,” 48th Fighter Wing, RAF Lakenheath, UK), carries a crew of two ,pilot and a weapons systems officer, both of whom are still missing after go ejecting from the aircraft.
Currently a search and rescue mission is underway for the crew. Video verified by GCR shows HC-130J Combat King II aircraft flying low over parts of Iran. This tanker is also shown refueling at least two HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters, which specialize in C-SAR (Combat search and rescue) operations. Other videos from the same region show additional U.S. aircraft flying low over the area where the plane was thought to have been downed. In another video the search and rescue assets take small arms fire from the Iranian military/IRGC. Also shown in these videos is an HC-130 Combat King II which acts as a mobile surveillance platform and specializes in C-SAR missions.
Iranian channels publish footage of U.S. Air Force HC-130J Combat King II and HH-60G Pave Hawk search and rescue (SAR) aircraft conducting an operation in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province in southern Iran this afternoon.
— Status-6 (War & Military News) (@Archer83Able) April 3, 2026
NOW: F-35 jets and MQ-9 drones were also spotted supporting U.S. helicopters over Iran, searching for the pilots of downed F-15E jet. pic.twitter.com/1cpNQ7pJq0
Some of the early GCR geolocation work showing the general search area.
This news is less shocking than it could be, as this morning images appeared on Iranian state media that appeared to show the wreckage from a U.S. fighter. Iranian outlets (including Tasnim and IRIB) initially claimed the downed jet was an F-35 stealth fighter, but quickly aligned their reporting with the visible wreckage, which clearly matches an F-15E Strike Eagle. The debris shows burned and fragmented sections of the vertical tail, wings, and fuselage, with distinctive markings including the “LN” tail code, red/yellow band, “EUROPE” script, and U.S. Air Forces in Europe badge, consistent with the 494th FS aircraft.
Iranian state television has gone further, urging civilians in the area to search for the missing American crew and offering rewards for their capture. The IRGC is treating the incident as a major propaganda victory.
This is a rapidly developing story as part of the ongoing U.S./Israeli Operation Epic Fury. U.S. officials have confirmed the loss to select media, but CENTCOM has not yet issued a full public statement. GCR will continue monitoring and geolocating new videos as they emerge.
Update 5:38 EST
One pilot has been found and has been recovered. During the course of the search and rescue operation the rescue aircraft came under small arms fire. The helicopters were hit and but made it back to base. One A-10 was hit but made it back to friendly territory before ejecting according to CBS and The New York Times. Iran released a video showing a surface to air missile of some kind striking the A-10.
March 13th it was announced that a Marine Expeditionary Unit and its supporting warships would be deploying to the Middle East region at the request of the U.S. Central Command, to help with the current operation in Iran.
This move was originally reported by the Wall Street journal and is seen as a response to the ongoing attempted closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a thin stretch of ocean that Iran has threatened to close for years, cutting off much of the oil coming from the region. The closure has had a direct effect on oil prices and the price at the pump in America and beyond.
The Wall Street journal reported that the U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has approved a request from CENTCOM for an element of an Amphibious Ready Group as well as the attached Marine Expeditionary Unit, according to three US officials who spoke with the WSJ. The amphibious ready group or ARG is usually made up of an assault ship, two (SAN ANTONIO-Class) transport docks, and a support vessel that carries an embarked Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) of at least 2,200 Marines. In this case the sources who spoke to the WSJ said the USS Tripoli(LHA-7) is being sent from its usual base in Japan along with the USS San Diego (LPD-22) and USS New Orleans (LPD-18). These ships make up the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (31st MEU).
If needed, other MEU’s are also available for operations in the Middle East.
The Marine Expeditionary Unit was developed as a highly versatile, somewhat self-contained fighting force that can be called upon to quickly respond to situations. They were put together and usually kept in areas where the U.S. expects to need marines quickly, such as the pacific or often in the Middle East.
As stated by the Marines website the four elements of the MEU are as follows.
Command Element – Serves as the headquarters for the entire unit and allows a single command to exercise control over all ground, aviation, and combat service support forces.
Ground Combat Element – Provides the MEU with its main combat punch. Built around a Marine infantry battalion, the GCE is reinforced with tanks, artillery, amphibious vehicles, engineers, and reconnaissance assets.
Aviation Combat Element – The ACE consists of a composite medium helicopter squadron containing transport helicopters of various models and capabilities, attack helicopters and jets, air defense teams, and all necessary ground support assets.
Logistics Combat Element – Providing the MEU with mission-essential support such as medical/dental assistance, motor transport, supply, equipment maintenance, and landing is the mission of the LCE.
The marine website also list some of the missions that the MEU trains for.
– Peacekeeping/Enforcement
-Humanitarian/Disaster Relief
– Security Operations
– Noncombatant Evacuation Operations
– Reinforcement Operations
– Amphibious Raids/Assaults/Demonstrations
– Tactical Deception Operations
– Airfield/Port Seizures
– Show-of-Force Operations
– Reconnaissance and Surveillance
– Seizure/Recovery of Offshore Energy Facilities
Having the MEU available in the region does not necessarily mean that they will be used for ground combat roles. Iran still has a large fighting force made up of Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corp as well as the regular army meaning any ground operation will likely involve considerably more troops than come with the MEU. However the MEU provides a wide range of options for commanders to use towards completing their goals.
Let’s look at some of what the MEU brings to the fight.
The USS Tripoli (LHA-7) is the second of the America-class amphibious assault ships, which is itself an upgrade on the Wasp-Class amphibious assault ship. This class removed the well deck usually used for landing ships, giving the Tripoli, and the America much more hanger space as well as extra aviation repair and armament storage.
USS Tripoli with its F-35B’s on deck.
The ship is protected by RIM-116 Rolling airframe missiles for protection primarily against anti-ship missiles.
USS San Diego and USS New Orleans are both San Antonio-Class Amphibious Transport Docks. These ships mostly focus on carrying Marines and using their large CH-53 Sea Knight and MV-22 Osprey’s and landing ships to put a good sized marine fighting force anywhere nearby in a short amount of time, useful for seizing a landing zone for example.
USS San Diego
The ability of the 31st MEU to to strike targets using the F-35B’s as well as AH-1Z Viper and UH-1Y Venom helicopters it’s important in supporting the marine fighters and would be especially useful for hunting down the slow flying Shahed drones as well as the smaller craft used by the Iranian navy.
F-35B in its vertical lift mode.
The 31st MEU should arrive in the Middle East in about two weeks.the Tripoli was spotted on satellite imagery heading south from its Okinawa home port.
Shows the USS Tripoli heading south west as it makes its journey to the Middle East.
The other Marine expeditionary units could be called to the region if needed.
An older image but minus the AV-88B’s represents what a lot of the MEU’s are working with as far as equipment and numbers. The plan is to switch out the AV-88B’s for F-35B’s.
The United States military is continuing a buildup of forces which are signaling that an attack on Iran could be imminent. While recent movements have brought offensive might to the region, some of the important elements that one would expect to see, weren’t there. That changed today when a number of aircraft moved from US based in the continental US and Europe moved towards the Middle East and the CENTCOM area off Responsibility (AOR).
First off we have two E-3G Sentry Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) Aircraft that were seen departing Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska on Monday (Feb.16), DENALI01/02, arrived at RAF Mildenhall early on Tuesday at about 5:30AM Eastern (Feb.17). We expect them to continue on towards the Middle East however this could just be a routine rotation. Still something to watch. These planes are the eyes, ears and command of the US forces, coordinating air and ground forces and using their long range radar to look at the big picture.
Wow! Amazing to see 2 USAF E-3s arrive at Mildenhall this morning. DENALI01/02. 82-0007 of note especially still having markings of 961st AACS (Kadena AB) #aviation#avgeekpic.twitter.com/IJG1pE9L6T
RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk, at about 5AM Eastern time UK showed the arrival of 12 F-22 Raptors Stealth Fighters from the1st Fighter Wing supported by KC-46A Pegasus and KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refuelling tankers. They were flying out of Langley, Virginia. The F-22 Raptor is America’s most dominant air-to air platform and is usually tasked with air defense and air superiority but can also carry a number of ground attack weapons internally in its weapons bay. It was used in Syria to strike a number of ground targets, (usually with 1000lb JDAMS and GBu-39 SDB’s) and is useful for hitting high value targets in a hostile airspace using its stealth to open up air corridors for other strikers. I’d like to note that several days before Operation Midnight Hammer, when US B-2 Spirit bombers attacked Iran’s nuclear facilities, a similar crossing of F-22’s took place.
A large number of F-16′ “Vipers” have also been reported on the move as well, according to open source flight tracking. At least 36 from various bases including Aviano Air Base in Italy, Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany and McEntire Joint National Guard Base (JNGB) in South Carolina. F-16’s are one of the ultimate multi-role aircraft of their time and can be used for almost anything. Air defense, ground attack, SEAD/DEAD, CAS, anything you ask of it, the F-16 can do, making it the true workhorse of the US Air Force. These will add to the limited number of F-16’s already in the region.
Large USAF fighter deployment underway toward Middle East: 36× F-16 (12 Aviano, 12 Spangdahlem, 12 McEntire JNGB) and 12× F-22 TREND51 from Langley, supported by multiple tanker waves staging via Europe and the Atlantic toward regional bases.
The last aviation asset on the move is a U-2 Dragon Lady spy plane on its way to the region, the U-2 conducts high altitude surveillance but can also serve as a communications link between some assets that cannot communicate with each other such as the F-22 and F-35.
The US navy is reporting to some outlets that an additional Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, USS Pinckney (DDG-91) has been deployed to the region.The Pinckney departed Singapore about a week ago after some maintenance and repairs.
What was already sent.
GCR has covered the buildup since the first signs that Trump could decide to launch strikes on Iran. A link to the previous post can be found here.
Another useful map can be found here, created by analysts and writer Ian Ellis which shows a visual representation of what has been moved and where.
These U.S. forces will almost undoubtedly be supported and assisted by the forces of the Israeli IDF who have a sizable Air Force as well, all of which they will no doubt make available.
Another unseen element not mentioned is the U.S. bomber fleet which can be called to strike targets anywhere in the U.S. with minimal notice in less than 24 hours.
The U.S. and Iran concluded their most recent set of negotiation talks early on Tuesday, Supreme leader Khamenei, talking about the arrival of the U.S. aircraft carriers to the region warned in Iranian media that that Iran’s weaponry could “sink them to the bottom of the sea.”
“Our missile program is none of America’s business,”
The New York Times has reported that the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group (CSG) will join the Abraham Lincoln CSG which arrived in the Arabian Sea earlier this month. This addition of another aircraft carrier, its escorts, and the air wing, will bolster the offensive and defensive capabilities of the forces in the region. The Ford left the Middle East late in 2025 and arrived in the Caribbean at the end of January 2026 for Operation Southern Spear, now it’s been ordered back, extending its current deployment past the normal 7 month rotation.
Both carriers, as well as the other forces in the region, including several squadrons of F-15E Strike Eagles and F-35, are a part of a military buildup to put pressure on the Iranian regime. US president Donald Trump, had threatened military strikes if Iran refused to stop its violent crackdown on anti-regime protesters. The crackdown and murder carried out by soldiers of the state was well recorded and spread through social media, even through a complete internet blackout in Iran.
The USS Gerald R Ford CSG
Recent image of the USS Ford CSG during its operations in the Caribbean. (Bonus B-52 flyover).
The Gerald R. Ford-Class Carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) homeported at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia.
USS Ford returns to naval station Norfolk.
Arleigh Burke-Class Guided Missile Destroyers USS Bainbridge (DDG-96) and USS Mahan (DDG-72), both homeported at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia. Also included is the Air Defense commander USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG-81) which is homeported at Naval Station Mayport, Florida.
On the Ford is Carrier Air wing 8, details listed below.
The “Tomcatters” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 31. Flying F/A-18E Super Hornets from Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia
VFA-31 Super Hornet
The “Ragin Bulls” of VFA 37,also flying F/A-18E Super Hornets from Naval Air Station Oceana.
The “Golden Warriors” of VFA 87 flying F/A-18E superhornets from Naval Air Station Oceana.
The “Black Lions” of VFA 213, F/A-18F superhornets from Naval Air Station Oceana.
The “Gray Wolves” of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 142 flying EA-18G Growlers from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington.
VAQ-142 Growler
The “Bear Aces” of Airborne Command and Control Squadron (VAW) 124 Flying E-2D Hawkeye from Naval Air Station Norfolk,Virginia.
The “Rawhides” of Fleet Logistics Squadron (VRC) 40 Det. Flying C-2A Greyhounds from Naval Air Station Norfolk.
The “Spartans” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 70 flying MH-60R Seahawks from Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Fla.
The “Tridents” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 9 flying MH-60S Seahawks from Naval Air Station Norfolk.
The CSG will also be accompanied by at least one unnamed attack submarine which is standard procedure.
Low missiles production a constant problem.
According to a recent article by the New York Times, when Trump made his threats to Iran in January the Pentagon begged him to slow down because the usual mass of US assets and forces in the region had been either redeployed or used up in the recent engagements. The U.S. burned through several months If not years worth of production of its Patriot missile stock during the Iranian ballistic missile attacks on Israel. Not to mention the even more valuable THAAD interceptor missiles,used specificly for long range theater air defense, and recently reported to have been deployed to an airbase in Jordan, had at least 25% of total stocks in 2025 engagements. A large number of Sea and air-launched air defense missiles (SM-2, SM-6) were also expended, especially in the Red Sea, during Operation Prosperity Guardian, firing hundreds of missiles defending the sea lanes against Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles and drones.
US THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense)
While missile production has pretty much gone up across all of the defense companies, there hasn’t been a long enough time for the military to benefit from these production increases. Take the Patriot missiles for example, an important asset for any future war, Lockheed Martin only makes around 600 of them a year.
Bottom line and some opinions.
With the addition of the second CSG in the region, the potential for strikes on Iran in the near future has increased in my opinion. The Ford has been on deployment since June of 2025, being redirected multiple times to respond to the changing geopolitical landscape around the world. Moving the ford to the Middle East instead of waiting for another carrier to be available shows that the leadership believes it is important to have an another carrier there, right now.
I also believe that the U.S. should do whatever it can to avoid a long drawn out engagement in the Middle East at this time. The best option would be another “Midnight Hammer” style raid where they target several high value targets with anything other than TLAM cruise missiles, another asset the US (and CENTCOM especially) likes to deploy like it’s going out of style. My thinking here is that while the U.S. should do whatever it can for the people of Iran they also need to follow their own recommendation of focusing on the Pacific and countering China. Not to get too far off the original article but China is growing into a major threat in the Pacific and has the range with its weapons to make any engagement against them a nightmare without a surplus of land and and sea based advanced air defense weapons. The U.S. should have a base line, this is how many missiles that planners think we need for defending against China’s missiles in the Pacific and then not letting CENTCOM fire off 40-50 PAC-2 and 3 missiles in a weekend.
Global Conflict Reporting 
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