Coalition strike aircraft continued to pound insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan over the past few days. According to US Central Command Air Forces, on Dec. 23, USAF F-16s provided close air support for troops near Bayji and Al Hawijah, Iraq, while USAF B-52s and RAF GR7s launched precision guided munitions to strike caves used by insurgents near Tarin Kowt in Afghanistan. A USAF Predator UAV fired a Hellfire missile against insurgents, also near Tarin Kowt. On Dec. 24, F-16s covered coalition troops under fire from insurgents near Baquba, Iraq. That same day, in Afghanistan, USAF A-10s and a Predator provided CAS for coalition forces taking enemy fire near Khowst. On Dec. 25, USAF F-15s, conducting CAS near Balad, Iraq, launched one PGM against enemy troops using mortars; F-16s, a Predator, and RAF GR4s provided CAS near Baquba, with a GR4 using a PGM to strike an enemy firing position; and F-15s provided CAS near Baghdad. And, in Afghanistan on Dec. 25, A-10s conducted CAS for troops near Orgun-E. On Dec. 26, F-16s struck enemy forces near Balad, using three PGMs, while F-15s flew CAS near Salman Pak.
The roles and missions executed by Air Force warriors are essential to the nation’s security. Yet after three decades of constant demand and minimal replenishment, our Air Force is too small and too old. It needs to be rebuilt. The Trump administration and Congress must fund that modernization to ensure…