Asked about the source of the increased activity and lethality of enemy forces in Afghanistan during a Sept. 23 Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Marine Corps Gen. James Cartwright attributed it partly to advisers from outside Afghanistan “that are there and are managing the relationship between the two groups [forces from Pakistan and within Afghanistan], setting them up for complex attacks.” He went on to say that these advisers have learned to strike quickly to avoid coalition and NATO aircraft. Cartwright explained, “They are smart enough to know that they can engage us for about 20 or 30 minutes and then they must break contact because our air will get there.”
A-10s Headed to CENTCOM to Bolster Air Force Presence
March 23, 2023
As the Air Force’s broader focus shifts to the Pacific and Europe, the U.S. military will rely on aging close air support aircraft to meet the needs of its forces in the Middle East. A-10 Thunderbolt IIs will deploy to the region in April, a U.S. official told Air &…