A military pilot readies for flight -- serving U.S. Central Command operations in Iraq.

.... Part of a mission aimed at halting Islamic State fighters from advancing further in their quest for territory.

According to the Pentagon's Lieutenant General William Mayville, the air strikes have slowed the militants down, but haven't stopped them.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. ARMY LIEUTENANT GENERAL WILLIAM MAYVILLE, SENIOR PENTAGON OFFICIAL, SAYING:

"What I expect the ISIL to do is to look for other things to do to pick up and move out further. In no way do I want to suggest that we have effectively contained or that we are somehow braking the momentum of the threat posed by ISIL."

The Pentagon says targeted air strikes may continue and that personnel and munitions are ready for deployment.

Here, aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush, bombs for possible use in future missions are being prepared.

But on the ground in northern Iraq, the milita