E-8 Joint STARS officially achieves initial operational capability, seven years after the aircraft, in its development phase, was employed in the Persian Gulf War and played a pivotal role.
Less than a day after arriving in the Middle East, F-15E Strike Eagles from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C. defended Israel from an Iranian attack in April 2024. DUDE flight, four F-15Es from the 335th Fighter Squadron, downed two dozen Iranian drones in roughly 45 minutes.