US and coalition strike aircraft flew 64 close air support missions in Afghanistan on July 23 and 47 in Iraq, Air Forces Central reported yesterday. In Afghanistan, B-1B bombers were active over Ajrestan and Jrestan, dropping 500-pound and 2,000-pound joint direct attack munitions onto enemy combatants. A-10s fired cannon rounds and rockets at insurgent positions near Nangalam and conducted a show of force to deter enemy activities. Furthermore, F-15Es performed shows of force near Gardez and Gereshk and struck enemy forces near Shinkay with a 500-pound laser-guided bomb and a 500-pound JDAM. And an MQ-1 unmanned aerial vehicle fired a Hellfire missile at enemy combatants near Jrestan. On-scene joint terminal attack controllers confirmed the success of these missions.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth vowed to undertake far-reaching reforms on the way the U.S. military buys weapons, promising a sweeping overhaul of the way the Defense Department determines requirements, handles the acquisition process, and tests its kit. The fundamental goal, which Hegseth underscored in a 1-hour and 10-minute speech…
