There has been no official word on the fate of the pilot of the USAF F-16CG that crashed in Iraq early Monday morning as it was assisting coalition ground forces. According to an Associated Press news service follow-up report, an Iraqi eyewitness says the fighter could be seen flying erratically up and down just before it crashed some 20 miles northwest of Baghdad. The witness also said other coalition warplanes circled the area after the crash.
Air Force Hurricane Hunters have just 10 aging WC-130Js to fly an increasing number of missions gathering life-saving data for decision-makers before a storm.