Eight US Navy F/A-18 Super Hornets from the USS Harry S. Truman Nimitz-class aircraft carrier arrived at RAF Lakenheath on Thursday 4th October 2018. The aircraft carrier arrived off Portsmouth on the morning of Saturday 6th October 2018. On Friday 5th October 2018, six USAF F-22A Raptors from the 94th Fighter Squadron (FS), nicknamed ‘Hat in the Ring’, 1st Fighter Wing (FW) based at Langley-Eustis, Virginia, USA, also arrived at RAF Lakenheath. Both the Raptors and Super Hornets were at Lakenheath to train and conduct engagements with NATO allies, partners and the F-15s of the 48th Fighter Wing.

 

The 494th FS started to arrive home from long term deployment (since April 2018) on October 7th. Some of the jets were noted with nose art and or mission markings but these were to be removed shortly after they arrived home. F-15E 91329 “Deadpool” was one of the returning birds.