US and coalition strike aircraft kept up the pressure on anti-government forces in Afghanistan on July 15, flying a total of 71 close air support missions, Air Forces Centralannounced yesterday. Air Force A-10s, B-1Bs, F-15Es, and MQ-1s were all in the fray. A-10s, for example, dropped 500-pounds laser-guided bombs onto enemy forces near Nangalam and fired cannon rounds at them, while F-15Es pounded enemy positions with 2,000-pound joint direct attack munitions in the same area. Further, in the vicinity of Worzhanah Kalay, F-15Es struck enemy positions with 500-pound LGBs as well as 500-pound and 2,000-pound JDAMs. And B-1Bs attacked enemy forces with 500-pound JDAMs near Bagram and Kandahahr, and an MQ-1 hit enemy combatants with a Hellfire missile near Zormat. Meanwhile, there were 36 CAS missions in Iraq on July 15, including F-16s striking enemy combatants with 500-pound LGBs and JDAMs near Khan Bani Sad.
When acting Air Force Secretary Gary A. Ashworth rescinded service-wide “Family Days” last week citing the need to build readiness, he left it up to commanders, directors, and supervisors to decide if they would still permit extra days off. Here’s how Air Force major commands are taking that guidance.