A KC-10 Extender from the 908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates, refuels an F-22 Raptor from the 95th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron in support of a new offensive campaign in Afghanistan Nov. 19, 2017. (Tech Sgt. Gregory Brook/Air Force)
Defense News: F-22s conduct first airstrikes in Afghanistan
WASHINGTON — In a first use of expanded military authorities in Afghanistan, U.S. warplanes destroyed eight Taliban opium production facilities in Helmand Province Sunday, the top U.S. general there said Monday.
U.S. Forces Afghanistan commander Gen. John Nicholson said U.S. and Afghan forces in total took out 10 facilities on the first day of Operation Jagged Knife, a combined air operation that involved Afghan A-29s and U.S. B-52s and F-22s to take out a series of factories that Nicholson said were used as a revenue source for the Taliban.
The operation marked the first use of the F-22 to conduct airstrikes in Afghanistan. The highly advanced stealth fighter has capabilities that exceed what should have been necessary to destroy a Taliban target, raising questions as to why that platform was selected.
Read more ....
Update: Strikes on Taliban opium facilities first major use of new bombing authorities in Afghanistan (Stars and Stripes)
WNU Editor: A very expensive plane to use in what is essentially a drug raid. I am also surprised that F-22s are flying in the skies of Afghanistan. What are the air threats that the Pentagon is worried about?
Related Posts :
Saturday Night Live Mocks GOP Congressional Candidate Dan Crenshaw For Losing His Eye In War
Are All The U.S. Polls And Pundit Predictions For This Year's U.S. Midterm Elections Wrong?
Mayor of Utah City While Deployed In Afghanistan Killed In 'Insider Attack'
U.S. And Japan Are Now Staging The Biggest Combat Readiness War Game Ever Staged Around Japan
Why I Love Canada And The U.S.