o o b e er o e By Amy McCullough, News Editor

he F-22 Raptor is performing even better than expected in the war zones of Iraq and Syria, T and the Air Force is planning to take full advantage of its capabili- ties in “everything we do,” said boss Gen. Herbert J. “Hawk” Carlisle in September during the Air Force Association’s Air & Space Conference in National Harbor, Md. The fifth generation fighter made its combat debut in September 2014 during the opening assault against ISIS extremists in Syria, and Carlisle said the aircraft is “doing extraordinarily” as it continues to play a vital role in Operation Inherent Resolve. Since it entered the fight, the F-22 has flown hundreds of sorties, thou- sands of hours, and dropped hundreds of bombs, but perhaps the fighters’ most important contribution to the mission is the situational awareness it provides. Carlisle said this “makes every single airplane in the airspace on the coalition side that much better.” Here: A Raptor takes on fuel from a KC- In the fight against ISIS, the F-22 10 after an operation in Syria Sept. 23, 2014. The September strikes marked has been “absolutely incredible,” said the F-22’s first combat use. Right: Gen. Carlisle. “I’d venture to say it does Frank Gorenc (r), USAFE commander, more than was even thought it could said the F-22’s presence in Europe do. It produces greater capability and helped assure allies the US would protect them from Russian aggression. when you put it in the hands of our To his right is ACC Commander Gen. airmen, it does fantastic things. It’s Hawk Carlisle. an aerial quarterback.” 44 / November 2015 USAF photo by Scott M. Ash

The F-22 has proved its mettle against ISIS.

In fact, the Raptor’s situational aware- “I was eager to get the F-22 in can be where we need to be when we ness, precision attack capability, and theater to show and assure our allies need to be there,” said Carlisle. newfound quarterback role is so critical that we are serious about our contribu- Gorenc said, “You can bet that I will be USAF won’t even send other aircraft into tion to NATO,” said US Air Forces in asking for that capability” in the future, certain areas in Syria and Iraq unless Europe-Air Forces Africa boss Gen. but when asked if there were any plans they are escorted by F-22s, he added. Frank Gorenc. to bed down F-22s in Europe or create The Raptor also is reliable, with a semipermanent detachment similar recent mission capable rates around SURPRISE MESSAGE to the continuous bomber presence on 75 percent, and “even better in the The decision to introduce the aircraft Guam, he said, “it depends.” field.” Carlisle said the fighters have into the European theater “was made a “I recognize there are priorities to proved to be “far more” maintainable long time ago in our effort to try and be accomplished and I’m hoping that than originally expected. send a message to assure allies and ... every once in a while, [we] come In late August, four F-22s from the to deter” a “very aggressive Russia,” above the line, but I think already, we 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall AFB, said Gorenc. proved a lot,” said Gorenc. Fla., and a C-17 from the 60th Airlift “I don’t know how well it deterred Carlisle said ACC is developing a Wing at Travis AFB, Calif., arrived at President [Vladimir] Putin; however, “rapid personnel recovery, roll on, Spangdahlem AB, , for the it’s done a lot to assure our partners,” roll off capability,” which he dubbed Raptor’s first European deployment. he said. “Rapid Next.” He said the command It also was the first “rapid Raptor” By mid-September the European expects to exercise the capability at “an deployment for ACC, said Carlisle. deployment had wrapped up, but overseas location” in a couple months. The concept, which was first devel- Gorenc said the short visit helped “We’re developing this and it’s get- oped in , involves pilots and crews see how the fifth ting better all the time,” said Carlisle. dispatching a contingent of F-22s generation fighter can operate and “I also believe that when we get this with a smaller logistics package to a collaborate with USAF units and al- right, we will truly be able to give more forward location with the expectation lies in the region. Each of the stops capability to combatant commanders that the fighters will be combat-ready during the deployment was conducted with the amount of capacity we have. within 24 hours of deploying. in “rapid order,” also proving that the It’s developing at a rapid pace.” Carlisle said the concept worked infrastructure is available to support “One of the ways” for the Air Force well, and the Raptors flew “100 percent the F-22, he added. to benefit from its flexibility “when of the [planned] sorties,” including “When American airpower shows we have a capacity problem, is to act stops at Lask AB, Poland, and Amari up in a place people don’t expect, … faster, is to move things faster, and AB, Estonia, where they trained with it sends a pretty big message. [It] as- get them faster. That’s where Rapid USAF and allied forces and demon- sures our allies, friends, and partners, Raptor comes from,” Carlisle said. strated the United States’ commitment and also sends a distinct message to “Rapid Next will take us to an even to NATO and European security. potential adversaries out there that we greater level.” ✪ AIR FORCE Magazine / November 2015 45