VFA-41’s F/A-18F Super Hornets launched 421 missiles and bombs while supporting Operation Epic Fury, according to a photographed weapons-expenditure board shared by Jeff Rojas (@jro_photography).
Exact munition tally from VFA-41
The squadron’s board, as published, lists the munitions expended during Operation Epic Fury in descending order by count:
- 173 GBU-38/B 500‑pound-class Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM)
- 52 GBU-31(V)4/B 2,000‑pound-class JDAMs
- 48 GBU-54/B 500‑pound-class dual‑mode Laser JDAMs (LJDAM)
- 41 AGM-154 Joint Stand‑Off Weapon (JSOW) precision‑guided glide bombs
- 33 AIM-9X Sidewinder air‑to‑air missiles
- 30 GBU-31(V)2/B 2,000‑pound-class JDAMs
- 27 GBU-32/B 1,000‑pound-class JDAMs
- 10 AGM-84K Standoff Land Attack Missile‑Expanded Response (SLAM‑ER) land‑attack cruise missiles
- 6 AIM-120 Advanced Medium‑Range Air‑to‑Air Missiles (AMRAAM)
- 1 GBU-12/B 500‑pound-class Paveway II laser‑guided bomb
The piece calculates a very rough minimum acquisition cost for these munitions at about $43,646,000, while stressing that unit costs fluctuate and JDAM pricing is complicated by how components are budgeted.
What the mix of weapons suggests about mission priorities
The predominance of JDAM family munitions — including both (V)2 and (V)4 subvariants explicitly noted for the GBU-31/B series — and the presence of LJDAMs, JSOWs, and SLAM‑ERs point to a campaign using standoff precision strikes and bunker‑penetrating effects. The source cautions that the board does not identify specific targets, but it notes a squadron jet bearing a broken submarine kill marking and the text “Sub Buster.”
The record further states that Iranian naval vessels, including Kilo‑class and other submarines, “were top priority targets during Epic Fury,” and that air‑launched AGM‑114 Hellfire missiles (likely from MQ‑9 Reapers) and ground‑launched ATACMS short‑range ballistic missiles were employed against submarines specifically. The source also notes that bunker‑busting JDAMs were “key munitions” in strikes during Epic Fury and that JSOWs featured in the operation’s opening phases.
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See what we buildAIM-9X and AIM-120: air‑to‑air shots and the drone threat
The board lists 33 AIM‑9X and 6 AIM‑120 missiles. The source states it is “extremely likely” these missiles were fired at Iranian drones, while allowing they could also have been used against incoming cruise missiles. The reporting adds there are no known instances of U.S. jets engaging crewed Iranian aircraft during the conflict.
The piece recalls a 2024 Navy crash program that increased the number of AIM‑9Xs F/A‑18E/Fs can carry per sortie — creating so‑called “Murder Hornets” loaded with nine air‑to‑air missiles — an adaptation tied explicitly to drone threats.
Logistics, stockpiles, and the larger operational picture
VFA‑41’s 421 munitions are a partial measure: the Lincoln’s air wing includes four strike squadrons (three with Super Hornets and one with F‑35Cs) plus other aircraft and helicopters. The carrier was one element of a broader set of air, naval, and ground forces in Epic Fury and subsequent operations.
For scale, the article cites an official count that the entire Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group fired 770 munitions during active operations in and around the Red Sea between November 2023 and June 2024. Together with the roughly $43.6 million estimate for VFA‑41’s ordnance, that framing feeds the source’s concern about remaining stockpiles and what it will take to replenish them.
What this means for the U.S. Navy, CENTCOM, and Iranian naval forces
- The U.S. Navy: The munition mix reflects a sustained use of JDAMs, JSOWs, and SLAM‑ERs by at least one carrier squadron, underscoring demand for standoff precision and bunker‑penetration capability; absence of APKWS II on the list is noted as a contrast with other services’ drone‑engagement practices.
- CENTCOM and the Pentagon: The Pentagon’s official timeline is cited — Operation Epic Fury ran from February 28 to May 5 — and CENTCOM’s messaging included the claim that “U.S. forces are degrading the Iranian regime's ability to project power at sea and harass international shipping.” These public positions sit alongside detailed, squadron‑level ordnance tallies now visible.
- Iranian naval forces: The reporting highlights that Iranian submarines and surface vessels were prioritized, with documented use of Hellfire and ATACMS against submarines and visual squadron markings referencing submarine kills.
The photographed board from VFA‑41 provides one of the clearest granular views to date of how a single carrier squadron contributed to Epic Fury: a heavy reliance on JDAMs and standoff munitions, a measurable expenditure of air‑to‑air missiles likely tied to drone threats, and a price tag that brings munitions‑stockpile questions into sharp relief even as the broader operational picture continues to evolve.
