The Air Force dropped more than 1,700 munitions in 2006 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, a dramatic increase from 176 munitions in 2005. Lt. Gen. Gary North, head of US Central Command Air Forces, credits better intelligence for the increase. The general told Pentagon reporters that the US military’s “great collaboration” with both Afghani and Iraqi forces contributes to better intelligence about insurgents.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth vowed to undertake far-reaching reforms on the way the U.S. military buys weapons, promising a sweeping overhaul of the way the Defense Department determines requirements, handles the acquisition process, and tests its kit. The fundamental goal, which Hegseth underscored in a 1-hour and 10-minute speech…


