Defense Secretary Ash Carter, during a visit to Iraq on July 11, promised new support to the Iraqi government to help counter ISIS attacks on civilians. Carter directed the Defense Department’s Joint Improvised-Threat Defeat Agency, which was formed in 2006 to help defeat the scourge of improvised explosive devices hitting US troops in Iraq, to “provide additional assistance that could enhance security in Baghdad,” according to a Defense Department statement. Multiple large-scale bombings have rocked Baghdad recently, including a massive July 3 truck bombing that killed 292, according to CNN.
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.