There has been no official word on the fate of the pilot of the USAF F-16CG that crashed in Iraq early Monday morning as it was assisting coalition ground forces. According to an Associated Press news service follow-up report, an Iraqi eyewitness says the fighter could be seen flying erratically up and down just before it crashed some 20 miles northwest of Baghdad. The witness also said other coalition warplanes circled the area after the crash.
The Air Force ramped up operations and maintenance spending to keep its F-35A fighters flying over the past six years, but readiness continues to lag behind goals, according to a new report from the Government Accountability Office.