“The numbers are going up, and the effect is significant,” said Gen. Michael Moseley, Air Force Chief of Staff, offering a blunt overview of the airpower trend in the US Central Command area of responsibility. Talking with defense reporters in Washington Tuesday morning, Moseley said that combat sorties have risen to about 400 per day—counting all US and coalition strike aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles and other intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance aircraft, tankers, and in-theater airlift. Moseley believes that there is growing evidence that Central Command’s air component provides the most lethal way to kill terrorists. He added that lethality should not be misinterpreted as meaning that airpower is also the most effective or the most important component in the war on terror.
The Air Force could conduct an operation like Israel's successful air campaign against Iran's nuclear sites, military leadership and air defenses, but readiness issues would make it risky, airpower experts said. Limited spare parts and training, low mission capable rates and few flying hours would put a drag on USAF's…