US aircraft are continuing to prepare the ISIS-held stronghold of Raqqa, Syria, for a siege by US-backed rebels, despite continued tensions between those rebels and Turkey. Aircraft from the US-led coalition conducted 12 strikes in Syria, hitting ISIS targets in Raqqa and multiple other cities in the region. Meanwhile, six strikes hit Mosul and two other villages in Iraq, according to US Central Command. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said a coalition airstrike in a village north of Raqqa killed at least 20 civilians, though US officials said it did not have enough information to determine if that was possible, according to the BBC. Meanwhile, US-backed Kurdish rebels and Turkey are at odds about the fight to reclaim the city. Turkey said US-backed and Kurdish forces should only encircle Raqqa while Turkish fighters take the city, a suggestion Kurdish fighters dismissed, The Associated Press reported. Turkish fighters have clashed with Syrian Democratic Forces, which includes Kurdish fighters.
Competitors Not Picked for CCA Look Forward to Increment 2
April 25, 2024
While none of the major aircraft contractors were selected to develop the Collaborative Combat Aircraft, all three say they are seeking further autonomous aircraft work for the Navy, foreign partners, or in the classified arena, and maybe future versions of the CCA itself.