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.
The new defense reconciliation bill includes $7.2 billion for Air Force and Navy aviation accounts, almost half of which will buy more F-15EXs. While electronic warfare, drones, connectivity and airlift all get attention, the F-35 was conspicuously absent from the package, with no explanation given.