Late last week and over the weekend among the coalition assets that engaged Taliban members that had begun firing on coalition forces and Afghan civilians was a USAF B-1B bomber firing a 500-pound GBU-38 Joint Direct Attack Munition. US Central Command Air Forces say it was the first combat use of the JDAM by a B-1B. The bomber’s air strike on May 17 killed some 15 to 20 of the Taliban. Action continued with other close air support air strikes aiding ground forces that were attempting to detain the anti-Afghan elements. The operations netted five Taliban members, wounding or killing up to a total of 80.
NATO Scrambles Fighter in Newest Response to Russian Drones
Sept. 16, 2025
NATO scrambled its first fighter Sept. 13 under its new plan to bolster its defenses against Russian air incursions that was put into place after an array of Russian drones flew into Polish airspace last week, the officials from the alliance’s military command said.
