US Air Force fighters and bombers unloaded precision weapons against an insurgent stronghold south of Balad Ruz, Iraq, on Jan. 8. The strike force—F-15E, F-16, and B-1B aircraft—hit 25 targets, including buildings, equipment, weapons caches, and enemy personnel. Lt. Gen. Gary North, head of US Central Command Air Forces, said, “the combined use of our wide range of aerial assets is a perfect example of the flexibility of our coalition forces.”
Members of the House Armed Services Committee say the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile program has been set back three months due to the ongoing government shutdown. The comment is noteworthy because the JATM's status has been kept tightly under wraps.
