(Editor’s note: Information contained within this article was provided by U.S. Air Forces Central Command Public Affairs to include statistics and a summary of operations conducted in July.)
TRAVIS AIR
FORCE BASE, Calif. – December
marked a crowning achievement in the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq
and Syria with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announcing the complete
liberation of Iraq on Dec. 10.
According to Lt. Gen. Jeff Harrigian, U.S. Air
Forces Central Command commander, the Iraqi Security Force-led advance against
ISIS was significantly enabled by the asymmetric advantages provided by a
Coalition airpower team of 21,000 Airmen and more than 300 aircraft from 21
nations.
Throughout December, mobility crews delivered
more than 3,280 tons of cargo and completed delivery of all required MaxxPro
Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles.
The synchronized airpower provided in 2017 to
both Iraqi Security Forces and Syrian Democratic Forces included more than
200,000 hours of manned and unmanned intelligence, surveillance and
reconnaissance missions, nearly 40,000 weapons employed, and 788 million pounds
of fuel dispensed in support of approximately 20,000 sorties.
Throughout the complex fight in 2017, Coalition
airpower decimated ISIS’ oil production capacity with a deliberate campaign
that eliminated 90 percent of the revenue ISIS used to wage war and recruit and
retain a fighting force.
Following the SDF’s liberation of Raqqah in
late October, dynamic airstrikes enabled the SDF and ISF to advance along the
Middle Euphrates River Valley towards one another, squeezing the remnants of
ISIS into a pocket on the Iraq-Syria border.
Following victories in the major urban fights
of Mosul, Raqqah, Tal Afar and elsewhere, weapon releases in December dropped
to 584 – the lowest levels since the first month of the Operation Inherent
Resolve campaign in August 2014. The continued decrease in weapons released
further demonstrates the positive results of OIR’s intense air campaign to
target and annihilate ISIS.
As the Coalition retained its focus on
defeating ISIS, the shrinking pocket of ISIS resistance presented additional
deconfliction challenges in December, requiring Coalition Airmen to exercise
increased discipline in the most complex, dynamic and congested airspace of the
conflict. Russian and Syrian aircraft frequently conducted operations that
didn’t match what was agreed to through deconfliction channels, resulting in several
intercepts and near collisions between Coalition and Russian and Syrian
aircraft.
Despite these challenges, the Coalition
continued to leverage the deconfliction line daily to avoid a repeat of the
three shoot-downs in June, where for the first time ever, U.S. aircraft downed
drone aircraft that were attempting to bomb Coalition forces, and an F-18 shot
down a Syrian Su-22 fighter that was bombing partner ground forces.
As we look ahead, Coalition airpower will
continue to target ISIS to prevent its resurgence while simultaneously
increasing its attention to the train, advise and assist mission. The goal of
Coalition Airmen in the TAA mission is to develop an Iraqi Aviation Enterprise
that will enable the Iraqis’ ability to safeguard their country from violent
extremists. The Dec. 27 graduation of the first class of Iraqi C-130J senior
maintainers, trained and certified by U.S. Airmen from the 770th Air
Expeditionary Advisor Squadron, demonstrates this effort is producing desired
results.
Thank to Operation Freedom’s Sentinel &
Resolute Support Mission—advising Afghan Air Forces and countering terrorism throughout
December—U.S. and Afghan forces maintained pressure on the Taliban with the
continued and deliberate campaign to target their revenue sources. Over the
course of month, F-18s, B-52s, F-16s and MQ-9s destroyed 11 more narcotics
processing and storage facilities and stockpiles in Helmand province. Since
November, the financial impact to the Taliban revenue is estimated at more than
$20M.
In addition to this deliberate campaign, U.S.
and Afghan airpower continued to support ground forces with dynamic close air
support. Weapon releases climbed 20 percent from the previous month as the Afghan
National Defense and Security Force continued to maintain pressure on the
Taliban into the winter.
In December, the AAF began training with
GBU-58s and GBU-12s, increasing their ability to effectively target their
enemies with more precise weapons. Additionally, AAF personnel are undergoing
training to conduct suspended or “sling-load” operations that enables
expeditious retrieval or delivery of aircraft and equipment to and from austere
areas with limited ground access.
Looking ahead, air planners are actively
preparing to support the arrival of the U.S. Army Security Force Assistance
Brigade in 2018.