F-15Es struck enemy combatant fighting positions June 1 in the vicinity of Nangalam, Afghanistan, with 500-pound joint direct attack munitions and one 2,000-pound JDAM, Air Forces Central announced June 2. A joint terminal attack controller confirmed the success of these attacks. Also in Afghanistan on that day, an F-15E dropped 500-pound JDAMs onto enemy combatants in Qalenaw, “successfully eliminating the targets,” AFCENT said. In total, coalition aircraft flew 52 close-air-support missions in Afghanistan and 69 in Iraq on June 1.
The new defense reconciliation bill includes $7.2 billion for Air Force and Navy aviation accounts, almost half of which will buy more F-15EXs. While electronic warfare, drones, connectivity and airlift all get attention, the F-35 was conspicuously absent from the package, with no explanation given.