Ten F-15E Strike Eagles from the 4th Fighter Wing returned from combat operations against Iran, arriving at RAF Mildenhall between Sept. 24 and 26, 2026, with Mortal Kombat-themed nose art and a combined 45 Shahed drone kill markings, according to The Aviationist.
The jets are the first of 24 Strike Eagles from the 4th FW that deployed to the Middle East between January and March 2026. The first section of four aircraft, callsigns TABOR 21-24, arrived Sept. 24, supported by a KC-135R tanker. The second section of six jets, callsigns TABOR 11-16, arrived Sept. 26.
The aircraft and their nose art names are:
- TABOR 21, AF 89-0490, “Liu Kang”
- TABOR 22, AF 87-0181, “Sub Zero”
- TABOR 23, AF 89-0492, “Kitana”
- TABOR 24, AF 89-0505, “Scorpion”
- TABOR 11, AF 90-0229, “Reptile”
- TABOR 12, AF 89-0478, “Kano”
- TABOR 13, AF 87-0193, “Cage”
- TABOR 14, AF 87-0177, “Smoke”
- TABOR 15, AF 88-1704, “Shao Kahn”
- TABOR 16, AF 88-1670, “Jax”
In addition to the nose art, the jets displayed Shahed-like kill markings for Iranian drone shootdowns, along with weapon silhouettes for AGM-158 JASSMs, GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs, and AGR-20 APKWS II laser-guided rockets, the report said.
The APKWS II has become a weapon of choice for the counter-UAS mission, offering a comparatively inexpensive way to engage drones without expending more costly air-to-air missiles, according to The Aviationist. Integration of the APKWS II onto the F-15E began in May 2025, and with six LAU-131 rocket launchers, the F-15E can carry 42 laser-guided rockets in addition to its standard loadout of eight air-to-air missiles, giving up to 50 opportunities to engage aerial targets.
The 4th FW jets are the latest F-15Es to return from the CENTCOM area of responsibility, following 12 Strike Eagles from the 366th Fighter Wing that stopped at RAF Lakenheath on Sept. 16 on their way back to Mountain Home AFB.
Sources: DVIDS News · DVIDS News