in the middel of october 2023, The 494th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron "Panthers" were depolyed to a undisclosed location in the middel east for their CETCOM rotation depolyment. When the 494th was depolyed the Panthers were tasked with supporting group troops and targeting high value targets using JDAMS, During their depolyment Maintereners and Crew chiefs from the 494th Expeditionary Fighter Generation Squadron painted their 12 jets with different nose arts, kill marknigs and names. AF00-3000 was named "BOMB TRUCK" and painted a Red truck with a explosion in the back. Towards the end of their depolyment the 494ths depolyment was extended to 7 months, and tasked with shooting down iranian UASs and Cruise missiles, togheter with the 335th EFS, RAF and RJAF, 00-3000 shot down 9 drones and was marked as 9 red Aim-9Xs. In may the 494th EFS and EFGS returned from their 7 month depolyment with their 12 F-15Es all painted with drone markings, bomb markings and various nose arts and names.
