F-22's role, impact in Inherent Resolve increasing

ORLANDO, Fla. — The Air Force's most advanced fighter has been in battle against the Islamic State group for about five months, and has performed well enough to now be an anchor of airstrike sorties.

The F-22 flew its first combat mission in September, striking an Islamic State headquarters building in Syria. Since then, the F-22 has flown as part of strike packages in most of the combat sorties as part of Operation Inherent Resolve in both Iraq and Syria. It has flown combat missions, escorted bombers and helped manage other fighter aircraft on their sorties, Air Combat Command chief Gen. Hawk Carlisle said at the Air Force Association Air Warfare Symposium here.

"The airplane has performed fantastically," Carlisle said, with its "ability to go to areas where other aircraft can't, re-role and mission manage the entire force.

"When you have F-22s in a package, every single airplane in that package is better because the F-22s are there."

The F-22 has shown an ability to "re-role" in the middle of a sortie, changing from an escort to using its advanced sensors and avionics to help control other aircraft and change targets, Carlisle said. This ability has led to an increase in its use.

"We're putting Raptors into every package whenever we can because they have exceeded even what we have expected," Carlisle said.

Carlisle used his stage at the conference to target those who have criticized the role of air power in Inherent Resolve. As of Feb. 5, coalition aircraft have conducted 2,294 airstrikes. These missions have been effective, Carlisle said.

"Air power is doing fantastic," he said. "Folks over there are doing tremendous work. Their [Islamic State's] ability to finance has been severely cut off, [along with] their ability to mass in any numbers, and their ability to communicate. … Air power is very effective. It has changed the way they operate."

This effectiveness is attributable to the fact that a coalition, not just the U.S., has been flying missions, said Gen. Frank Gorenc, commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa.

As of Feb. 5, U.S. aircraft have conducted 1,856 airstrikes, while coalition aircraft have conducted 438 airstrikes. Meanwhile, the Jordanian air force has increased its activity following the death of a captured pilot.

"When things happen, there are people who choose to go with us," Gorenc said. "That interoperability, the ability to switch on and operate in a coalition way on Day 1 is something that has to be brought out as a topic of goodness at every opportunity."