About one-third of the approximately four-dozen fighter, bomber, and attack aircraft that struck targets across Syria Monday night were USAF assets, a defense official told Air Force Magazine. All the aircraft already were deployed in the region. The Air Force also provided all aerial tanker support and most of the command and control, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance support for the strikes, he added. In total, there were three waves of strikes on 22 targets with some 200 munitions, said Air Force spokeswoman Jennifer Cassidy. Cassidy said USAF won’t provide specifics on the types of munitions employed, or the bases of origin. F-22, F-15Es, F-16s, and B-1s were among the specific USAF combat aircraft to participate.
Amid NATO’s continued push to ramp up air defenses in Eastern Europe, Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall swung by seven allied countries to boost relations last week, including those on Russia’s and Ukraine’s doorstep.