A French air force Dassault Rafale fighter prepares to refuel over Baghdad from a C-135FR tanker. It is carrying a Thales Damocles target designation pod and four laser-guided bombs, and one of the wingtip air-to-air missile stations is empty. Credit: French Defense Ministry
Black Lions
The U.S. Navy’s VFA-213 Black Lions squadron is the service’s most experienced in the use of the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet Block 2 with the Raytheon APG-79 active, electronically scanned array radar. The two-seat F/A-18F, here on approach to the carrier George Bush with the USS Truxtun in the background, is valuable because of its second seat and big-screen rear-cockpit display. The fighter is carrying a Maverick missile and three 250-lb. Laser Joint Direct Attack Munition bombs. Credit: U.S. Navy Mass Communication Spec. 3rd Class Joshua Card
F-22 Operational Debut
The Lockheed Martin F-22 made its combat debut in operations striking Islamic State fixed targets that had previously been located by other ISR assets. This F-22 is being refueled by a KC-10 Extender. Credit: USAF Tech. Sgt. Russ Scalf
Tornado with Dual Mode Brimstone
On its path to retirement before the end of the decade, the Royal Air Force’s Tornado GR4 is the only aircraft today that can deliver the accurate, low-collateral-damage MBDA Dual Mode Brimstone, mounted on a centerline triple rack. This aircraft is at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, which supported Tornados and Voyager tankers. Credit: U.K. Defense Ministry
Tactical Jamming Prowler
Another veteran in action over Syria is the Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler. A VAQ-134 Prowler with three ALQ-99 pods prepares to land on the George Bush. Credit: U.S. Navy Mass Communication Spec. 3rd Class Joshua Card
Dials + Buttons
Using a hand calculator to augment 1970s-technology instrumentation, a U.S. Air Force technician works onboard a Boeing E-3B Sentry airborne warning and control system aircraft on a counter-Islamic State mission. Credit: U.S. Air Force
Rafales on Reconnaissance
Rafale fighters flew reconnaissance missions out of Al Dhafra AB in the United Arab Emirates, carrying the Thales Areos-NG reconnaissance pod and a single MBDA Mica-IR air-to-air missile. Credit: French Defense Ministry
Atlantique ISR
Another veteran performing ISR over Islamic State targets was the Dassault Atlantique ATL2 maritime patrol aircraft, using its electro-optical and signals-intelligence sensors on missions up to 11 hr. in duration. Credit: French Defense Ministry
Gorgon Stare
A newly deployed ISR asset is the Sierra Nevada Corp. Gorgon Stare Increment 2 wide-area surveillance system, carried in a pair of pods (visible light and infrared) under the General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper unmanned air vehicle. Credit: U.S. Air Force
Tomahawk Launch
Fixed targets were struck by Tomahawk cruise missiles. This launch is from the U.S. Navy cruiser Philippine Sea. Credit: U.S. Navy Mass Communication Spec. 1st Class Eric Garst
Defender Gives Cover
The U.K. Royal Navy Type 45 destroyer Defender (foreground) provides part of the air defense cover for USS George Bush (background) in the Arabian Sea. Credit: U.K. Defense Ministry
Water Carrier
A Boeing C-17 prepares to drop pallets of bottled water to civilians under Islamic State attack. Credit: USAF Staff Sgt. Vernon Young, Jr.
The theory that the use of airpower and advisers can help local allied forces achieve victory on the ground is being tested again in operations against Islamic State forces in Iraq and Syria. While the air threat is remote enough that French Rafales flew with a single defensive missile, the reach and mobility of fast jet aircraft with tanker support were important, allowing operations to be supported from aircraft carriers in the Persian Gulf, Al Dhafra AB in the United Arab Emirates and RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus. In marked contrast to the "shock and awe" tactics of 2003, most aircraft are carrying small loads of low-collateral-damage, high-precision weapons, some of them capable of striking moving targets, and there is heavy emphasis on intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.
