US forces have moved artillery around the battlefield in an effort to shape operations before the push into Mosul, Iraq. On Aug. 14, US helicopters moved artillery to an area east of Mosul to support 2,000 Peshmerga fighters as they liberated 12 villages from ISIS control, and then removed the guns 48 hours later. “The firing solutions this offered provided maximum flexibility for the commander on the ground,” said Air Force Col. John Dorrian, spokesman for Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve, during a Thursday briefing. The operation, called Operation Evergreen II, seized area near the Guar River Bridge where civilians were living in “miserable conditions.” US forces, which have increased by about 400 over the past week, include those operating the artillery and others who are building up an airfield near the village of Qayyarah to support upcoming operations. “This area will be important as a stepping stone and staging area for Iraqi security forces,” Dorrian said.
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.