US and coalition aircraft ended 2016 having dropped 30,743 bombs on ISIS in Iraq and Syria, up more than 2,000 from the previous year. US aircraft also had a busier year in Afghanistan, dropping 1,337 bombs in 2016 compared to 947 in 2015, according to statistics released this week by Air Forces Central Command. December was the third-busiest month of the year for Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve with 2,943 bombs dropped that month alone. Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance aircraft were also busier in 2016, flying 12,270 sorties, an increase of more than 2,700 from the previous year. US and coalition aircraft airdropped 822,171 pounds of supplies in support of the fight against ISIS, and conducted 80,912 aircraft refuelings. Aircraft in Afghanistan saw an increase in airlift for passengers and cargo, but saw a drop in refueling and ISR sorties, the statistics show.
A recent seven-day exercise sent Air Force F-22s—along with other USAF aircraft—to austere, challenging environments across Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. Agile Reaper, taking place for the second time after its inaugural edition last year, featured 800 Airmen and 29 aircraft across five different locations from April 10-16, training…