Direct proof of use
The F-16 is directly documented in the 2014 War Against the Islamic State through official U.S., Iraqi, and Belgian records tied to Operation Inherent Resolve. In August 2015, six U.S. Air Force F-16s and about 300 personnel arrived at Incirlik Air Base in Turkey from Aviano Air Base to support Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq and Syria.
Iraqi use is documented by a July 2018 U.S. Air Forces Central video record stating that an Iraqi Air Force F-16C prepositioned to conduct a coalition-led airstrike against Daesh in Syria in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. Belgian use is separately documented by Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve, which said the Belgian detachment completed 302 missions from October 1, 2020, in support of Iraqi Security Forces and coalition-aligned security forces in Syria, providing air support through reconnaissance and strike missions.
Sources: War.gov F-16s Arrive in Turkey, Iraqi Air Force F-16C Takeoff, Belgian F-16 Support Complete
Timeline
The earliest source used here places U.S. Air Force F-16s at Incirlik on August 9, 2015, after Turkey agreed to host U.S. aircraft for counter-ISIL operations. The deployment put F-16s closer to the Iraq and Syria theater during the first major year of Operation Inherent Resolve.
By 2018, official Air Force reporting described the 55th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron's F-16C Fighting Falcons at the 407th Air Expeditionary Group as supporting Operation Inherent Resolve, while a separate AFCENT video record placed an Iraqi Air Force F-16C in a coalition-led strike mission against Daesh in Syria. In 2020-2021, Belgian F-16s deployed from Jordan under Operation Desert Falcon and carried out reconnaissance, air-support, and precision-attack missions against Daesh/ISIS targets.
Sources: War.gov F-16s Arrive in Turkey, 55th EFS Phase Dock, Iraqi Air Force F-16C Takeoff, Belgian F-16 Support Complete, Belgian Defence Inherent Resolve
Narrative
Within the anti-ISIS campaign, the F-16 appeared as a multirole fighter used for coalition airpower rather than as a single national asset. U.S. Air Force F-16s deployed to Incirlik during the 2015 expansion of air operations, and the 55th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron later maintained F-16C aircraft for Operation Inherent Resolve strike support from the 407th Air Expeditionary Group.
Partner-force use broadened the record. The Iraqi Air Force F-16C source ties the aircraft to a coalition-led strike against Daesh in Syria in June 2018, showing Iraqi use inside the U.S.-led campaign framework. Belgian Defence and CJTF-OIR records describe Belgian F-16s in Jordan-based Operation Desert Falcon deployments, including air support to protect coalition ground forces, imagery collection for intelligence, precision attacks on Daesh/ISIS targets, and 302 missions in the 2020-2021 deployment.
Sources: War.gov F-16s Arrive in Turkey, 55th EFS Phase Dock, Iraqi Air Force F-16C Takeoff, Belgian F-16 Support Complete, Belgian Defence Inherent Resolve
