During their recent deployment to the Middle East, Navy fighter jets from Carrier Air Wing 3 aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower successfully employed several weapons in combat for the first time. The jets engaged Houthi forces and targeted their positions in Yemen, as reported by Navy Times last Thursday.
Notable Achievements:
Strike Fighter Squadron 105 (“Gunslingers”) became the first to use the AIM-9X infrared-seeking missile in combat, targeting Houthi drones threatening civilian ships.
The squadron also led initial strikes against Houthi facilities in Yemen, launching the Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM) from an F/A-18E Super Hornet for the first time in combat.
The Joint Standoff Weapon-C Variant, a network-enabled weapon effective against both stationary and moving targets, saw its combat debut.
A pilot from Strike Fighter Squadron 32 became the first American woman to achieve an air-to-air kill, downing a Houthi drone.
Electronic Attack Squadron 130’s E/A-18G Growler secured the first air-to-air kill for its aircraft type and fired the AARGM in combat for the first time.
Commendations:
The Eisenhower’s crew received the Combat Action Ribbon, rarely awarded since the 1991 Gulf War.
The Navy Secretary approved the Air Medal with “Strike/Flight” designation for those involved in sustained aerial operations.
Commander Carl Ellsworth of Electronic Attack Squadron 130 described the deployment as one of the most challenging in recent Navy history, citing multiple extensions, limited R&R, and the most intense naval combat action since World War II.
The USS Theodore Roosevelt has now arrived in the Middle East to relieve the Eisenhower, continuing the mission to maintain regional stability and protect maritime commerce.
