The airstrikes launched on militant targets in northern Syria on Tuesday featured a long-awaited combat debut by the US Air Force's F-22A Raptor.
The stealth fighter jet was part of a second wave of strikes along with F-15 Strike Eagles, F-16s, B-1 bombers and drones, launched from bases across the region.
According to the Pentagon, the targets included the "command and control centre" at the headquarters of Islamic State (IS) in the town of Raqqah.
The F-22 is an all-weather stealth tactical fighter that can carry air-to-air missiles as well as bombs, and perform a variety of roles including electronic warfare.
Built primarily by Lockheed Martin, it is highly prized by the USAF - but it has a history marred by escalating costs and maintenance problems.
F-22s at a US Air Force base in South Korea The first F-22 flew in 1997 but it was not used over Iraq, Afghanistan or Libya, and it was hit by controversy after a fighter pilot was killed in a crash in Alaska in November 2010.
Air Force officials blamed pilot error but the US Defence Department inspector general later questioned the accuracy of their report.
In 2012, then Defence Secretary Leon Panetta ordered the Air Force to curtail F-22 flights until it had installed backup oxygen generators in the plane after pilots complained about fainting in the cockpit.
Former Pentagon chief Bob Gates capped the F-22 fleet at 187 planes in an attempt to limit spiralling costs.
Nonetheless, the final bill for the fighters was in the region of $67bn (£41bn).
Despite all its problems the USAF regards the F-22 as unrivalled and a key component of its tactical air power.
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