U.S. Navy Operates F-35C Fighter Jets and EA-18G Aircraft from USS Abraham Lincoln in Red Sea.

U.S. Central Command on February 16, 2026, released images of EA-18G Growlers from VAQ 133 and F-35C Lightning II fighters from VMFA 314 preparing to launch from USS Abraham Lincoln in the Middle East. The operations underscore the continuous presence of a U.S. carrier strike group as tensions persist across the Red Sea and Gulf region.

U.S. Central Command on February 16, 2026, published images and operational details showing EA-18G Growlers from Electronic Attack Squadron 133 and F-35C Lightning II fighters from Marine Fighter Squadron 314 spotted on the flight deck of USS Abraham Lincoln, CVN 72, as the carrier operated in international waters under U.S. 5th Fleet. According to U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, the Nimitz-class carrier is conducting continuous flight operations in support of regional security objectives. The combination of fifth- generation stealth fighters and dedicated electronic attack aircraft highlights the layered air power resident within the carrier strike group. The deployment comes amid sustained friction across the Red Sea and Gulf, where U.S. forces have maintained a visible posture to deter escalation and safeguard maritime routes.
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A U.S. Marine Corps F-35C Lightning II prepares for launch from the flight deck of USS Abraham Lincoln CVN 72 during flight operations in international waters in the Middle East (Picture source: US DoD)

USS Abraham Lincoln, a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier displacing more than 100,000 tons at full load, serves as a mobile air base able to project power without reliance on host nation infrastructure. Powered by two nuclear reactors, the ship sustains high-speed transit and extended on-station endurance, limited primarily by aviation fuel and ordnance stocks rather than propulsion constraints. In the confined maritime geography of the Middle East, where chokepoints such as the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el Mandeb shape naval planning, this endurance translates into persistent air coverage and rapid repositioning options.

The presence of Electronic Attack Squadron 133, operating the Boeing EA-18G Growler, adds an electronic warfare layer to the air wing. Derived from the F/A-18F Super Hornet, the EA-18G integrates the AN ALQ-218 receiver system and the AN ALQ-99 tactical jamming pods, enabling detection, identification, and disruption of adversary radar and communications across a broad frequency spectrum. The aircraft also carries AGM-88 High Speed Anti Radiation Missiles HARM designed to home in on hostile radar emissions at ranges exceeding 100 kilometers, depending on launch profile and variant. By combining escort jamming and kinetic suppression of enemy air defenses, the Growler creates corridors for strike aircraft to operate with reduced exposure to integrated air defense systems.

Marine Fighter Squadron 314 brings the F-35C Lightning II, the carrier variant of the Joint Strike Fighter optimized for catapult launches and arrested recoveries. The F-35C features a larger wing and reinforced landing gear compared to its Air Force counterpart, as well as a combat radius of roughly 1,100 kilometers on internal fuel. Its AN APG-81 active electronically scanned array radar that supports air-to -air and air-to-surface modes, while the Electro Optical Targeting System and Distributed Aperture System provide 360-degree situational awareness. When configured in low observable mode with internal weapons carriage, the aircraft reduces radar cross- section and complicates early detection by legacy surveillance radars.

Network integration remains central to the F-35C’s operational concept. Through Multifunction Advanced Data Link and Link 16 tactical data link, the aircraft shares sensor data with other fighters, surface ships, and airborne early warning platforms, constructing a fused operational picture. This sensor fusion allows the aircraft not only to prosecute targets directly, but also to act as a forward node, cueing other assets including fourth generation fighters and surface launched missiles. In a theater where layered air defenses and ballistic missile threats coexist, such data sharing can compress decision cycles and enhance survivability.

Operating together from the deck of USS Abraham Lincoln, the Growler and F-35C form a complementary package. Electronic attack suppresses or degrades hostile sensors, while low-observable strike fighters penetrate defended airspace to conduct precision engagements. The carrier air wing, supported by E-2D Advanced Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft equipped with the AN APY-9 radar capable of detecting airborne and maritime targets at extended ranges, maintains continuous air patrols and maritime surveillance. Around the clock, sortie generation ensures rapid response to emerging threats, whether involving unmanned aerial systems, anti-ship missiles, or fast attack craft operating near key sea lines of communication.

This combination allows the strike group to shape the electromagnetic environment before and during kinetic action. By disrupting targeting radars and command networks, the EA-18G reduces the effectiveness of surface-to-air missile batteries, while the F-35C exploits temporary windows of degraded coverage to deliver precision-guided munitions. At the same time, the aircraft provide defensive counter air against hostile fighters and contributes to maritime strike missions if required. The carrier’s ability to reposition overnight alters the geometry of potential engagements, complicating adversary planning and reinforcing deterrence through uncertainty.

Maintaining a nuclear-powered carrier in the Middle East signals sustained U.S. commitment to freedom of navigation and to the security architecture anchored by regional partners. It reassures Gulf states facing missile and drone threats, yet it also underscores the competitive dimension of the maritime domain, where state and non-state actors test red lines through proxy activity and asymmetric tactics. As great power competition increasingly intersects with regional rivalries, the visible integration of fifth-generation fighters and electronic attack aircraft from a forward deployed carrier demonstrates how the United States intends to manage escalation, deter aggression, and preserve access to critical waterways that underpin global trade and energy flows.