A-10 ground-attack aircraft dropped general-purpose 500-pound bombs, fired cannon rounds, and delivered one 500-pound laser-guided bomb onto enemy combatants May 7 in the vicinity of Asadabad, Afghanistan, Air Forces Central said in a May 8 release. Also on that day, AFCENT said a B-1B bomber struck enemy combatant fighting positions and a weapons cache in the vicinity of Asadabad with 500-pound and 2,000-pound joint direct attack munitions. In Bari Kowt, an F-15E destroyed an enemy position with a 2,000-pound JDAM, according to AFCENT.
As Air Force leaders consider concepts of operations for Collaborative Combat Aircraft, sustainment in the field—and easing that support by using standard parts and limiting variants—should be a key consideration, according to a new study from AFA's Mitchell Institute of Aerospace Studies.