"Long Day Over Karbala" F-15E Strike Eagle Aviation Art Print | USAF Fighter Jet Wall Art | Military Aviation Artwork | Air Force Pilot & Veteran Gift

On 19 May 2004, a two-ship of F-15E Strike Eagles from the 492nd Fighter Squadron “Bolars” launched from their deployed location as a massive haboob swept across the base. Visibility was near zero as the jets rotated and climbed into the sky. Looking back after takeoff, the crews found that the airfield below had completely disappeared beneath the wall of dust. Their destination was Karbala, Iraq, where U.S. ground forces 

were fighting to secure the city. The Strike Eagle crews were tasked with providing armed overwatch—using their sensors and their own eyes to locate, track, and communicate threats while standing ready to employ 500-pound GBU-12 laser-guided bombs, 2,000-pound JDAMs, or their 20mm guns if needed. Throughout the mission, the crews identified vehicles and groups of militants approaching U.S. positions and located concealed sniper and RPG firing positions. They relayed locations, movements, and threat information to the troops below, giving ground forces an invaluable set of eyes above the battlefield and, in the dense urban environment, the ability to effectively “see around corners.” At times, the scene below was surreal. From overhead, the crews watched engagements between M1A1 Abrams tanks and insurgents armed with RPGs and heavy machine guns in the streets of Karbala—a beautiful and historic Iraqi city, home to the Imam Husayn and Al-Abbas Shrines. The Strike Eagles ultimately did not need to employ their weapons. But with the haboob preventing their return to base, the “Bolars” remained over Karbala for more than nine hours—roughly twice their planned mission time—providing continuous overwatch and witnessing firsthand the extraordinary bravery and professionalism of U.S. ground forces fighting the enemy at close quarters.

For those crews, the mission was a reminder that sometimes the most important weapon an F-15E brings to the fight is simply the ability to see what the troops on the ground cannot.

Product features
- Printed on gallery-grade 220 gsm smooth, acid-free paper
- Giclée print quality with REACH-certified inks for vivid, lasting color
- Smooth matte finish reduces glare and enhances detail
- Available in multiple sizes and orientations: horizontal, vertical, square
- Materials and wood components sourced in compliance with EUTR; blank product from the UK

Care instructions
- If the poster does gather any dust, you may wipe it off gently with a clean, dry cloth.

- Frame not included.