B-1B Fires JDAM to Aid Anti-Taliban Operations

Late last week and over the weekend among the coalition assets that engaged Taliban members that had begun firing on coalition forces and Afghan civilians was a USAF B-1B bomber firing a 500-pound GBU-38 Joint Direct Attack Munition. US Central Command Air Forces say it was the first combat use of the JDAM by a B-1B. The bomber’s air strike on May 17 killed some 15 to 20 of the Taliban. Action continued with other close air support air strikes aiding ground forces that were attempting to detain the anti-Afghan elements. The operations netted five Taliban members, wounding or killing up to a total of 80.