A US Air Force F-16 dropped a bomb on a house rigged with explosives near Maderiyah, Iraq, on Nov. 25, destroying the building. Soldiers spotted an abandoned house—confirmed by local civilians—with copper wires running out of a window. An explosive ordnance disposal team confirmed the wires were attached to jugs of explosives, rigging the house as an improvised explosive device. Rather than risk setting it off, the ground forces called for an airstrike. (Multinational Force-Iraq release) Intelligence from several sources led coalition forces in Afghanistan to call in an air strike to launch precision munitions against a number of insurgents in the Nuristan Province on Nov. 26. An International Security Assistance Forces official says the insurgents killed in the strike were preparing to attack coalition forces in the area. News reports have carried allegations that the air strike killed construction workers, and the official said Afghan and ISAF officials are conducting a joint investigation. (ISAF release)
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.
