Ten F-15E Strike Eagles from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base returned to RAF Mildenhall after a Middle East deployment, displaying new Mortal Kombat-inspired nose art, aircraft nicknames and drone kill markings. The jets belong to the 4th Fighter Wing and were the first of 24 Strike Eagles sent to the region between January and March 2026 in support of Operation Epic Fury in the US Central Command area of responsibility.
The returning aircraft were photographed at Mildenhall between 24 and 25 September, with additional examples visible on 26 September. Markings seen on the jets include names such as Liu Kang, Sub Zero, Reptile and Kano, alongside Shahed drone kill tallies and weapon silhouettes. Visible loadout markings appear to include AGM-158 JASSM, GBU-39 SDB and what look like AGR-20 APKWS II symbols.
The imagery follows a pattern seen on other F-15E deployments returning from the Middle East, where nose art and mission markings have become part of the post-deployment visual record. In this case, the aircraft markings also point to the anti-drone role the Strike Eagles have been flying during the campaign.