America’s Military Machine in the Iran War: Aircraft, Warships and 11,000+ Weapons

The U.S. Army entered the war with Iran as the world’s most powerful military machine, bringing strategic bombers, advanced fighter aircraft, carrier strike groups, destroyers, submarines, missile-defense systems and thousands of precision munitions into the conflict. The concentration of forces was unprecedented in the region for a generation. How many aircraft were deployed to the Middle East, how many ships took part in the operation, how many missiles and munitions were expended, and what military resources did the world’s largest military power require to wage war against Iran? How America Entered the War The U.S. military operation against Iran received the official name Operation Epic Fury. The White House, Pentagon and U.S. Central Command all used this designation. According to CENTCOM, the operation began at 1:15 a.m. Eastern Time on February 28, 2026, on orders from the president of the United States. Within the first hours, U.S. forces used precision weapons launched from the air, sea and ground.