Coalition airstrikes for July 2013 are about half the total of July 2012 and the lowest for that month since at least 2008, continuing a drop in airpower in Afghanistan. U.S. Air Forces Central Command early today released this month’s airpower statistics, showing 253 total weapons releases in July, compared to 504 in July 2012. That brings the total weapons releases for this year up to 1,973, with 951 total sorties with at least one weapons release. Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance sorties continue at a high pace, with 15,160 so far this year. Casualty evacuation sorties are also low this…
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A B-1B Lancer and a C-17 Globemaster III at a base in southwest Asia (Senior Airman Benjamin Stratton/Air Force)ISAF aircrews across Afghanistan haven’t been as busy as years before, according to new stats released by Air Forces Central Command. There were 382 close air support weapons releases in June, down from 521 during the same month last year. So far this year there have been 1,782 weapons releases, compared with 4,084 for all of last year. And it isn’t just airstrikes that have dropped. In 2013, there have been 294 casualty evacuation sorties, including 96 saves. Last year, there were…
Weapons releases in support of Operation Enduring Freedom jumped in February, about 100 more than the previous month and almost 200 more than February of last year, according to statistics released today by Air Force Central Command. There were 292 weapons releases last month, compared to 193 in January and just 99 in Feb. 2012. So far this year, there have been 3,308 close air support sorties, 209 of which included weapons releases. The full breakdown of February’s activity is available here.
Air Forces Central has a new commander – and because of the high-profile nature of the gig, it’s time for a round of Air Force bar trivia! Here are a few factoids you need to know about Lt. Gen. David Goldfein: ● He will be in command of a 20-country region that stretches from Egypt to Pakistan. ● He majored in philosophy at the Air Force Academy. ● He was the last pilot to complete qualification training in the F-117, ● He was also the first general officer to fly the MQ-9 Reaper. ● Goldfein was flying an F-16 over…