U.S. Navy F/A-18E with Twin AGM-84K SLAM-ERs Signals Long-Range Strike Operations from Carrier in the Middle East

U.S. Navy imagery released September 4 shows an F/A-18E Super Hornet aboard USS George Washington apparently carrying two AGM-84K SLAM-ER-family missiles during flight operations in the U.S. Fifth Fleet area. Their Harpoon-derived shape and underwing configuration support the identification, but the Navy has not confirmed the weapons, exact subvariant or an operational strike mission. SLAM-ER is a high-subsonic, day-and-night precision weapon with a publicly stated range exceeding 135 nautical miles, a 500-pound penetrator warhead and inertial, GPS and imaging-infrared guidance. The loadout remains a high-probability visual assessment rather than an official disclosure.