ISIS social media post leads to U.S. airstrike in 22 hours, Air Force says

Two F-22 Raptors from Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.
Image: Flickr, US Air Force/Master Sgt. Jeremy Lock

The Islamic State frequently uses social media to spread its message and garner support, but their posting can have deadly consequences.

As reported by Defense Tech, the U.S. Air Force (USAF) was able to determine the location of an ISIS headquarters building and destroy it in an air strike within 22 hours.

In a speech Monday, Gen. Hawk Carlisle, head of Air Combat Command at Langley Field in Virginia, said airmen based at Hulrburt Field in Florida, with the help of the 361st Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group, found Islamic State members who were bragging about their capabilities on an Internet forum and used their posts to geolocate them.

Carlisle didn't reveal exactly how their location was determined for obvious reasons, but it still gave great insight into one way that the USAF determines airstrike targets.

Foxtrot Alpha notes the U.S. constantly monitors the Islamic State's social media presence, mostly to learn about their culture and developing power, with occasional bits of specific information like this coming through (Disclosure: This reporter used to work at Foxtrot Alpha's parent site, Jalopnik). Strike locations have also been targeted based on the metadata associated with pictures taken on cellphones.

Gen. Carlilse also talked about how gathering intelligence via social media will take on increasing importance in future conflicts as well as satellite communications with more technologically advanced enemies.

While a social media post turned into an airstrike target within a relatively short 22 hours, but Foxtrot Alpha says the Pentagon is working on cutting this time down to just an hour.

This ability is a long way away, but is being actively developed under the Prompt Global Strike program, where the possibilities for hypersonic missiles and aircraft as well as a variety of other sci-fi-sounding technologies are being explored.