US Air Force fighters, bombers, and unmanned aerial vehicles, and US Navy fighters dropped a variety of weapons and provided numerous show-of-force actions against enemy forces throughout Afghanistan on July 20, according to a July 21 release from Air Forces Central. USAF F-15Es dropped 2,000-pound joint direct attack munitions around Gardez and Khowst and 500-pound JDAMs near Nangalam, while also around Nangalam a B-1B dropped 500-pound and 2,000-pound JDAMs and near Khowst dropped a 2,000-pound JDAM. A Navy F/A-18F dropped a GBU-12 laser-guided bomb on enemy vehicles with improvised explosive devices near Qarah Bagh, and F/A-18Es dropped 500-pound JDAMs during operations near Khowst. An Air Force MQ-1B Predator fired a Hellfire missile against an enemy mortar team in the action near Gardez. Joint terminal attack controllers pronounced all the missions successful.
Lt. Gen. Dan Caine, nominee to be chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the Defense Department needs to upgrade its electronic warfare capability and its EW training ranges; just as his predecessor said at his own confirmation hearing.