Maine Playing Growing Role In ‘Operation Epic Fury,’ With War Planes And Ships Joining The Fray

The contributions of the state’s military assets are gaining prominence as the nation’s best tame the beast known as Iran.

Besides two guided-missile destroyers that were built at Bath Iron Works being deployed, a major Maine airport is now reportedly being used as a launch pad for flying fueling beasts.

A widely followed website on the social media platform “X” reports that more than a dozen U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotankers were launched Monday from bases around the U.S., some of which “appear to be stopping in Bangor, Maine to rest & refuel before pressing onward.”

The Bangor air field is traditionally a key International stopping-off point for both civilian and military flights crossing the Atlantic Ocean and Europe.

As home of the 101st Air Refueling Wing of the Maine Air National Guard, it plays a strategic role for military operations.

The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is the Air Force’s primary aerial refueling aircraft.

The U.S. has been using that airframe to help support combat operations for more than 60 years.

The tanker, typically with a pilot, co-pilot and boom operator, has a 1,500-mile range with 150,000 lbs of transfer fuel.

Besides the use of the Maine airport, Operation Epic Fury is benefiting from the contributions of the most feared war ships built in our state.

This includes the USS Spruance, as The Maine Wire reported Monday, as well as the USS Hudner.

The ships are Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers, shown in Navy photos firing Tomahawk land-attack missiles as part of the effort to clip Iran’s nuclear options.

The $663 million Hudner was launched from Bath Iron Works on April 23, 2017.

The vessel is named in honor of U.S. naval aviator Thomas Hudner, who was awarded the medal of honor for trying to save the life of his wingman during the Korean War.

The $1 billion Spruance, launched June 6, 2010, remembers Adm. Raymond Spruance, who commanded American naval forces at the Battles of Midway and the Philippine Sea.

The massive military operation of which Maine is playing a major role launched Saturday killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei while targeting military capabilities and aiming to eliminate the threat of Tehran creating a nuclear weapon.