US and coalition aircraft in March had a record month in the fight against ISIS, dropping 3,878 bombs in Iraq and Syria. The number—the highest since Operation Inherent Resolve kicked off in 2014—is up from 3,440 the month before. US and coalition aircraft so far in 2017 have flown 4,741 close air support sorties, according to statistics provided by Air Forces Central Command. Tankers this year have flown 2,815 refueling flights, offloading 185 million pounds of fuel. The uptick in activity comes as Iraqi Security Forces push further into ISIS-held Western Mosul, and US-backed rebels in Syria attempt to close in on the ISIS capital city of Raqqa. In Afghanistan, US aircraft released 203 weapons, the highest since October 2016.
The rate of building B-21 bombers would speed up if the fiscal 2026 defense budget passes. But it remains unclear how much capacity would be added, and whether the Air Force would simply build the bombers faster, or buy more.
