EA-18G Growler aircraft from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island operate from USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Gerald R. Ford carriers during Operation Epic Fury, suppressing Iranian radar systems and surface-to-air missile batteries to protect strike packages. Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 133 “Wizards” and VAQ-142 “Gray Wolves” launched missions in the initial waves against Iran, with U.S. Central Command releasing images of these aircraft on March 2, 2026.
Defense analyst Steve Balestrieri described 18 Growlers as the “single most critical factor” in U.S. Navy operations within contested Iranian airspace, emphasizing their role in blinding land-based surface-to-air missile networks. Growlers typically carry AGM-88 HARM anti-radiation missiles for destroying radar emitters, AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles for self-defense, and underwing jamming pods including legacy ALQ-99 and newer ALQ-249 Next Generation Jammer-Mid Band (NGJ-MB).
Recent imagery shows VAQ-133 Growlers with mixed loadouts, such as one ALQ-249 underwing pod paired with an ALQ-99 on the centerline, possibly due to maintenance availability or mission-specific requirements for fuel and capability balance. The Navy transitions from ALQ-99 to ALQ-249 pods, which provide advanced jamming against modern threats, while fuselage-integrated systems and wingtip pods enhance the full electronic warfare suite. Ongoing upgrades include AN/ALQ-264 Beowulf integration.
About half a dozen Growlers also operate from a regional land base alongside carrier detachments, supporting air superiority with F-35s and F-22s. Their electronic attacks enable deeper strikes following initial standoff weapons, as Iranian defenses degrade.