US and coalition strike aircraft carried out 70 close air support missions in Afghanistan and 56 in Iraq on July 17, with Air Force A-10s, B-1Bs, and F-15Es leading the way, based on Air Forces Central’s summary of air activities for that day. In Afghanistan, B-1Bs were active near Nangalam and Shindad, attacking enemy positions with 500-pound and 2,000-pound joint direct attack munitions. Also near Nangalam, A-10s hit enemy positions with general-purpose 500-pound bombs and strafed them with cannon rounds and rockets. F-15Es were also engaged enemy combatants near Nangalam, pounding them with 2,000-pound JDAMs.
The B-21 Raider stealth bomber was recently flown, for the first time, by an operational pilot as part of its flight test process, the Air Force said June 11. And a top Pentagon official said the move to bring operational testing into the B-21 process earlier than normal shows the…