Inside the air armada that captured Venezuela's Maduro: Growlers, F‑35s and more overpowered Caracas

As nearly 150 U.S. warplanes flooded Venezuelan airspace on January 3, the Navy’s EA-18G Growler emerged as a key player in Operation Absolute Resolve. The electronic warfare jet, flown by the “Zappers” squadron, reportedly targeted Venezuelan radars and military communications, blinding air defenses ahead of strikes by F-22s, F-35s, bombers and drones. Armed with anti-radiation missiles and advanced jamming systems, the Growler helped overwhelm Venezuela’s aging Soviet-, Russian- and Chinese-made defenses. The 150-minute operation ended with heavy strikes on military sites and the capture of Nicolás Maduro.