The Ai
r Force is putting new 20 mm cannon rounds in the F-16s deployed to Balad AB, Iraq, improving pilot safety and reducing collateral damage. Viper pilots already have fired the new rounds, strafing an insurgent stronghold east of Baghdad, reports Air Force journalist Capt. Ken Hall. The new ammo’s aerodynamic design and “hotter load” enable the F-16s to fire at greater distances—more than a mile and a half—from targets than the old ammo.
Billy Mitchell: Lessons a Hundred Years Hence
Dec. 16, 2025
Exactly 100 years ago, on Dec. 17, 1925, Brig. Gen. Billy Mitchell was convicted by court-martial for violating an order that required approval before he could engage with the media. Mitchell’s provocative thoughts and unorthodox methods sought attention for a cause that he saw as uniquely American.
