The F/A-18 Super Hornet fighters launched alongside the Hawkeye serve as the primary strike and air defense aircraft for the carrier air wing. These multi-role fighters are capable of delivering precision-guided munitions against ground targets while also conducting air-to-air combat and escort operations. Their presence ensures that U.S. forces can rapidly engage hostile assets threatening international shipping lanes or allied military positions.

Operation Epic Fury has been focused in part on protecting commercial vessels navigating through the Red Sea and surrounding waterways. These routes are among the most strategically important maritime corridors in the world, linking the Suez Canal to the Indian Ocean and carrying a substantial portion of global trade and energy shipments. Analysts estimate that roughly twenty percent of global commerce moves through these waters, making their security essential to international economic stability.