Over 
the 36-hour period marking the battle in An Najaf in Iraq last month, F-16s from three fighter squadrons based at Balad Air Base and A-10s from Al Asad Air Base expended munitions for the first time in a single operation, reports Air Force journalist TSgt. Jennifer Gregoire. A Joint Terminal Attack Controller embedded with an Army unit, called in the fighters to aid recovery operations for a downed Army helicopter when coalition ground forces became pinned down by enemy fire.
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.
