: USAF B-1B bombers employed weapons in two areas in Afghanistan on June 11 to aid coalition ground forces, according to Air Forces Central. In a June 11 release, the command said a B-1B dropped 500-pound and 2,000-pound Joint Direct Attack Munitions on enemy rocket teams near Bermel. And, near Deh Chopan, a B-1B released 500-pound JDAMs, striking an enemy force. In both cases, Joint Terminal Attack Controllers on the ground confirmed successful strikes. In total in Afghanistan, coalition airmen flew 48 close air support missions and a similar number covering operations in Iraq.
There is a new entrant in the highly competitive field of collaborative combat aircraft—semi-autonomous drones meant to fly alongside manned combat aircraft. Northrop Grumman unveiled its new Project Talon aircraft to a small group of reporters at the facilities of its subsidiary Scaled Composites.
