AirForces Monthly assesses the coalition air effort assembled to tackle so-called Islamic State, or Daesh, in Iraq and Syria under Operation Inherent Resolve.
INTEL BRIEFING Inherent Resolve
OPERATION INHERENT Resolve (OIR) passed the two-year mark last August. From a US-led coalition perspective, the headline is one of air strikes supported by teams on the ground. But it’s also one of delicate politics. Russian support of the Syrian government has led to Vladimir Putin’s fighters, bombers, carrier aircraft and attack helicopters operating in western and central Syria, often in uncomfortable proximity to Western forces.
Countless lives have been lost among those living in embattled Iraq and Syria, while thousands of tons of smart munitions and sorties, not to mention a huge price tag, have served to loosen the grip of so-called Islamic State (IS) across large swathes of these countries. Confusion remains over the various warring factions and how this complex war zone can be stabilised. While IS control of territory in Iraq, and to an extent in Syria, has been loosened, Russia’s support of the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad has been instrumental in some areas such as Palmyra. But the battle to reclai…
