A-10s, F-15Es, and a B-1B bomber struck enemy combatants engaging friendly forces with 500-pound laser-guided bombs and 2,000-pound joint direct attack munitions May 9 in Asadabad, Afghanistan, Air Forces Central announced May 10. A joint terminal attack controller confirmed the success of the missions. In Bari Kowt, a B-1B took out enemy forces with a 2,000-pound JDAM and 500-pound JDAMs. In Iraq on May 9, an MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle fired a Hellfire missile and Navy F/A-18 Hornets dropped 500-pound JDAMs to destroy rocket rails, mortar positions, and enemy combatants in Baghdad, AFCENT said.
The rate of building B-21 bombers would speed up if the fiscal 2026 defense budget passes. But it remains unclear how much capacity would be added, and whether the Air Force would simply build the bombers faster, or buy more.
