4th FW F-15Es Return From Iran Air War With Mortal Kombat-Themed Nose Art And Drone Kill Markings

Key Points:

• Ten F-15E Strike Eagles from Seymour Johnson AFB returned from Middle East deployments supporting Operation Epic Fury and stopped at RAF Mildenhall, showcasing new Mortal Kombat-themed nose art and 45 combined Shahed drone kill markings.
• These aircraft are part of the 4th Fighter Wing's 24 jets deployed between January and March 2026, with callsigns and nicknames inspired by Mortal Kombat characters such as Liu Kang, Sub-Zero, Scorpion, and Shao Kahn.
• The use of themed nose art on F-15Es deployed to CENTCOM began in 2019 and has since become a standard practice, alongside the display of kill markings for Iranian drone shootdowns and various weapon silhouettes.
• The F-15Es also feature advanced weaponry like the AGM-158 JASSMs, GBU-39 SDBs, and the increasingly utilized AGR-20 APKWS II laser-guided rockets, enhancing their counter-UAS capabilities with up to 42 laser-guided rockets in addition to air-to-air missiles.
• Integration of APKWS II rockets started in May 2025, providing F-15Es with significant combat flexibility and a cost-effective method to engage drones, as demonstrated by the 366th Fighter Wing's extensive use in Middle East operations.