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| Afghanistan |
| CENTAF releases airpower summary for Dec. 14 |
| 2006-12-14 |
| You gotta love close air support by a B-1. And by the French.In Afghanistan Dec. 13, an Air Force B-1B Lancer conducted a strike against Taliban extremists near Kandahar. The B-1B expended guided bomb unit-38s. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and a B-1B provided close-air support for International Security Assistance Force, or ISAF, troops in contact with Taliban extremists near Now Zad. The A-10s expended cannon rounds on enemy positions. An Air Force B-1B provided close-air support to ISAF troops in contact with Taliban extremists near Now Zad. The B-1B expended GBU-31s and GBU-38s on enemy positions. French M-2000D Mirages provided close-air support to ISAF troops in contact with enemy forces near Kabul. The M2000Ds expended GBU-12s on enemy positions. Air Force A-10s and French M-2000Ds provided close-air support to ISAF troops in contact with enemy forces near Orgun-E. In total, 24 close-air-support missions were flown in support of ISAF and Afghan troops, reconstruction activities and route patrols. Additionally, eight Air Force intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, or ISR, aircraft flew missions in support of operations in Afghanistan . In Iraq, U.S. Marine F/A-18 Hornets and AV-8B Harriers conducted strikes against anti-Iraqi forces in the vicinity of Ramadi. The F/A-18s and the AV-8Bs expended rockets on enemy positions. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons provided close-air support to troops in contact with anti-Iraqi forces near Hawijah. Navy F/A-18s provided close-air support to troops in contact with anti-Iraqi forces near Baghdad. In total, coalition aircraft flew 48 close-air support missions for Operation Iraqi Freedom. These missions included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and operations to deter and disrupt terrorist activities. Additionally, 18 Air Force, Navy and Royal Air Force ISR aircraft flew missions in support of operations in Iraq . Navy fighter aircraft performed in non-traditional ISR roles with their electro-optical and infrared sensors. Air Force C-130 Hercules and C-17 Globemaster IIIs provided intra-theater heavy airlift support, helping sustain operations throughout Afghanistan, Iraq and the Horn of Africa. Approximately 130 airlift sorties were flown; about 530 tons of cargo was delivered, and more than 2,300 passengers were transported. This included more than 37,500 pounds of troop re-supply air-dropped in eastern Afghanistan. Coalition C-130 crews from Australia, Canada, Japan and South Korea flew in support of OIF or OEF. On Dec. 11, Air Force, RAF and French tankers flew 33 sorties and off-loaded almost 2.3 million pounds of fuel. |
| Posted by:Chuck Simmins |
| #16 Yes, Eric. Thank your brother, from a greatful |
| Posted by: BA 2006-12-14 22:01 |
| #15 Premature congratulations to your brother, Eric, with our thanks! :-D |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2006-12-14 20:47 |
| #14 Thanks Eric. Just some friendly e-fire...... it takes many to keep us safe and he is doing a great job. callsigns are usually foisted on the owner in response to some less-than-stellar action or characteristic. |
| Posted by: USN, Ret. 2006-12-14 18:13 |
| #13 One of the (many) highlights of my military career was being on a SAC base during an exercise, when all the B-52s and tankers left the field as fast as they could get off the ground. It was like one continuous thunderclap for about 45 minutes, as BUFFS and KC-135s left the runway about every 45 seconds. It was 3:15 in the morning, but we were all outside watching. Quite an inspiring sight! |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2006-12-14 16:24 |
| #12 Okay. Even his wife calls him "Heywood". "Heywood Jablowme," to be precise. I don't want him getting phone calls from strangers. In any case, I don't want anyone comparing him to one of those 'fake Marines' we've seen stories about. He's getting promoted to Lt. Col. next year. On the other hand, he has stories about those French… |
| Posted by: Eric Jablow 2006-12-14 16:24 |
| #11 We're proud of your brother too Eric. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2006-12-14 16:18 |
| #10 [mod hat on] Us mods wouldn't sinktrap, the callsign would be disappeared on grounds of national security and the personal safety of the families of our mens and wimmins under arms. A B-1B pilot can call himself whatever he wishes, with the thanks of a grateful nation. [/mod hat] |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2006-12-14 15:13 |
| #9 I hear 'ya Eric. You let it slip once. :> |
| Posted by: Shipman 2006-12-14 14:43 |
| #8 That's not noise, son. That's the sound of freedom. |
| Posted by: Chuck Simmins 2006-12-14 14:37 |
| #7 True story: I was up in the foothills of the N. Georgia mountains, when a B1B flew overhead. We were in a cow field (one of my friends' farms), when it flew probably 200 or so feet over my head (I could literally see the pilot's eyes/goggles as he zoomed over). I didn't even hear him, until he was past me (he came from behind me). I said WTH? My friend replied, "Oh, we're used to that up here. They fly training runs for "under the radar" up in the foothills up here from Dobbins AFB." I've never come so close to soiling my drawers as I did that day. After I calmed down, I thought to myself, how many people get to be on the (peaceful) side of seeing power in action like that? Quite the spectacle....can't imagine what they're like providing close air support in the mountains of Afghanistan. |
| Posted by: BA 2006-12-14 14:21 |
| #6 C'mon Eric: if the callsign exceeds the RB's patented "Risqu-O-Meter" the duty mod will sinktrap it. And being Air Force, I am sure it will almost come up to the average "Risqu-O-Meter" value pegged by any number of Naval Avaitors' callsigns. But the AF does have better ascots ( or dickeys, or whatever they are called). |
| Posted by: USN, Ret. 2006-12-14 14:18 |
| #5 Shipman, I'd rather not say. It's somewhat risque. I'm not military; I don't know the ins and outs of B-1 crews, so I might get the terminology wrong. But, I'm very proud of my brother Mark. I'm not a fake; neither is he. |
| Posted by: Eric Jablow 2006-12-14 14:08 |
| #4 Crew: 4: aircraft commander, copilot, offensive systems officer and defensive systems officer |
| Posted by: RD 2006-12-14 12:34 |
| #3 My brother is a B-1 navigator :> Ummmmmm, what's his callsign again? |
| Posted by: Shipman 2006-12-14 12:14 |
| #2 heh |
| Posted by: RD 2006-12-14 11:57 |
| #1 My brother is a B-1 navigator, deployed a few times to the area. He's flown air support a few times. Sometimes he didn't need to drop any ordinance. Two supersonic passes 3000 feet over the enemy holed up in a farmhouse, and a subsonic pass dropping flares, convinced them to surrender. |
| Posted by: Eric Jablow 2006-12-14 10:20 |