How is the US striking Iran: What weapons are being used?
For the first time in combat, the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) was fired from M-142 HIMARS systems, capable of hitting targets up to 400km away
Highlights:
- Operation Epic Fury uses 20+ weapons systems across air, sea, land, and missile defence
- Tomahawk missiles and PrSM carry out long-range strikes
- LUCAS drone ($35K) debuts; MQ-9 Reaper ($40M) also deployed
- Air strikes by B-1, B-2, F-15, F-22, F-35; electronic warfare and recon planes active
- USS Abraham Lincoln & Gerald R Ford lead naval forces; Patriot and THAAD intercept missiles
The United States has mobilized a wide range of military assets against Iran under Operation Epic Fury, employing more than 20 weapons systems across air, sea, land, and missile defence forces, according to the US Central Command (Centacom).
On the offensive side, the Pentagon has relied on Tomahawk missiles, its long-range strike weapon for over three decades, launched from Arleigh Burke-class destroyers in the Arabian Sea.
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For the first time in combat, the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) was fired from M-142 HIMARS systems, capable of hitting targets up to 400km away.
In a strategic shift toward cost-effective munitions, the US also deployed the LUCAS drone at $35,000 per unit, alongside the high-cost MQ-9 Reaper, valued at $40 million each.
Air operations include B-1 and B-2 bombers and F-15, F-22, and F-35 fighter jets, targeting Iranian missile facilities and underground bunkers with 900kg bombs.
EA-18G Growler electronic warfare jets are disrupting enemy radar and communications, while P-8A Poseidon planes, E-3 Sentry AWACS, and RC-135 spy aircraft are conducting surveillance, reconnaissance, and intelligence missions across the region.
On the defensive front, Patriot missile batteries and THAAD systems have been positioned to intercept any Iranian retaliatory strikes, with Patriots covering shorter-range threats and THAAD handling high-altitude ballistic missiles.
The US has also strengthened its naval presence, with the USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Gerald R Ford aircraft carriers anchored in the Arabian Sea and Mediterranean, supported by Arleigh Burke-class destroyers equipped with Aegis systems for offensive firepower and missile defence.
Operation Epic Fury highlights a combination of precision strikes, intelligence gathering, and layered defence, reflecting the US strategy of balancing high-cost assets with more expendable systems like the LUCAS drone.
