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.
A Golden Dome task force established under U.S. Northern Command earlier this year has a broad remit, which includes fielding the capability to defend the U.S. against missile and drone attacks, its leaders said this week. Some of the primary focuses right now are ensuring Golden Dome can defend itself…