Of the twelve F-15E Strike Eagles that the 336th FS deployed to Kadena Air Base, six have been despatched to NSF Diego Garcia for 3 months in response to tensions within the Center East.
The U.S. Air Drive’s 336th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron concluded a six-month deployment with 12 F-15E Strike Eagles at Kadena Air Base, Japan, the service introduced on Nov. 18, 2025. Throughout that point, the unit performed a three-month “first ever” fighter deployment on the Naval Assist Facility Diego Garcia within the Indian Ocean.
The deployment lasted from Might to the tip of July, with the fighters returning to Kadena in early August. Though the deployment to Diego Garcia was already identified, the Air Drive has now launched new particulars.
The service’s press launch mentioned: “Whereas stationed at Kadena, the 336th EFS deployed a detachment to the distant Indian Ocean outpost to ascertain and function Detachment 336 – marking the primary sustained U.S. fighter presence on the island and a significant milestone within the execution of Agile Fight Employment within the Indo-Pacific.”
Pictures launched on the DVIDS community confirmed at the very least three of the six Strike Eagles assigned to the TDY (Short-term Obligation) at Diego Garcia, carrying a pure air-to-air loadout. This included 4 reside AIM-9X Sidewinders short-range AAMs, two AIM-120 AMRAAMs (Superior Medium-Vary Air-to-Air Missiles), along with the usual two exterior gas tanks, the Sniper focusing on pod and the LANTIRN navigation pod. The pictures have been taken on Jun. 1, whereas the F-15Es have been at Diego Garcia, and on Aug. 4, once they returned to Kadena.
Curiously, an F-15E from the 336th EFS additionally sustained a minor accident whereas returning to Kadena on Aug. 4, conducting an emergency touchdown on the base after it was found a most important touchdown gear wheel was lacking. Whereas the plane landed safely with no crew being injured, Kadena’s 18th Wing mentioned in a press release that “the wheel was discovered to be lacking in flight and was recovered on the flightline at U.S. Naval Assist Facility Diego Garcia.”
Satellite tv for pc imagery captured by @MT_Anderson on Monday of Naval Assist Facility Diego Garcia within the Indian Ocean, roughly 2,000 miles from Iran, confirmed 4 B-52H Lengthy-Vary Strategic Bombers in addition to at the very least 6 F-15E Strike Eagles, 6 KC-135 Aerial-Refueling Tankers and a C-5M… pic.twitter.com/WjFebzhKWz
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) June 11, 2025
Coincided with strikes towards Houthis, Iran
The timeframe of that tour of responsibility got here simply two months after B-2s amassed at Diego Garcia late in March to lastly strike the Houthis in Yemen, one thing the bombers had additionally executed for the primary time on Oct. 17, 2024. Notably, the deployment aligns with the conflict with Iran when the service within the intervening night time of Jun. 21 and 22 performed Operation Midnight Hammer towards nuclear facilties in Fordow, Isfahan and Natanz with seven B-2 Spirits out of Missouri AFB, Louisiana.
It’s not identified if the F-15Es supported that strike bundle, since F-15Es, F-16s, F-22 Raptors and F-35As would have been deployed to the CENTCOM (Central Command) AOR (Space of Duty) for that position. The deployment to Diego Garcia however represented the primary time a frontline multirole fighter was deployed to the island within the Indian Ocean, which has additionally hosted B-1B Lancer bombers throughout operations in Afghanistan.
A satellite tv for pc picture on Jun. 12 additionally confirmed 4 B-52H Stratofortress at Diego Garcia and the six F-15E Strike Eagles of the 336th EFS , together with six KC-135 tankers and a C-5M heavy-lift plane.
Deployment to Diego Garcia
The deployment of the 336th EFS from Kadena to the distant but extremely strategic Diego Garcia island was in “response to a right away request for forces from the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command,” which ultimately translated to 160 Airmen from Kadena, Yokota, and Andersen Air Drive Bases deploying there on Might 13 to ascertain Detachment 336.
One of many first duties Det 336 undertook was the set up of a Cell Plane Arresting System (MAAS). The MAAS was put in in case, for no matter cause, an F-15E had an emergency and wouldn’t have the ability to cease.
The cell barrier consists of two cell braking techniques, one on either side of the runway, with a cable laid throughout the runway between them is used for any jet geared up with a tail hook. If a jet can’t cease usually on the runway, the tail hook would catch the cable and the MAAS’ braking system would have interaction to decelerate and cease the airplane, equally to how planes land on plane carriers.
Det 336 “executed day by day sorties, sustaining excessive mission-capable charges regardless of provide chains stretching midway all over the world.” For “tactical command of joint protection forces,” Det 336 collaborated with the U.S. Navy Seventh Fleet, Marine Forces Pacific, and the 609th and 613th Air Operations Facilities. “Collectively, they executed air protection drills, base safety situations, and alert responses, establishing a completely built-in, layered defensive posture,” the press launch mentioned.
Det 336 Airmen additionally labored with Andersen AFB’s Det 1’s thirty sixth Mission Assist Group to construct and improve their “tent metropolis,” nicknamed “Thundercove, reworking it right into a resilient base of operations.” Airmen stood up energy distribution, sanitation, morale areas and upkeep and operational headquarters on-site, “enhancing sustainability and enabling excessive operational tempo.”
By the tip of July, Det 336 had “exceeded all mission targets, demonstrating {that a} forward-deployed fighter drive can function, thrive, and command from non-traditional bases, beneath exceptionally difficult logistical circumstances.” The Strike Eagles efficiently returning to Kadena bore the total scope of the accomplishment, which was not only a deployment, however a “blueprint for versatile, air power-centric fight operations within the Indo-Pacific,” the press launch famous.
Through the time at Diego Garcia, one of many F-15Es additionally performed a “farewell fly-by” over the united statesRalph Johnson on Jul. 12, because it departed the NSF.
Airmen communicate
Airmen touched upon the requirements set by the logistical and bodily infrastructure work demanded by the first-of-its-kind fighter deployment to Diego Garcia, which can profit future assignments there. Grasp Sgt. Jeremy McCoy mentioned the problem was establishing the assist mechanisms to satisfy the upkeep necessities at a base “with out normal fighter infrastructure.”
This spurred actual time collaboration with Navy and Marine companions “to develop joint options,” with every mission sharpening their “battle rhythm and readiness as a unified drive,” mentioned Capt. Brianna Kretkowski, 336th EFS, intelligence.
“Each workaround and improve was about constructing momentum,” mentioned Tech. Sgt. Cid Bartolome, Det 336 civil engineer. “It was about making the situation viable not only for this mission, however for future ones as nicely.”
