Published: August 29, 2005
Coalition Aircraft fly 50 Close Air Support and Reconnaissance Sorties Daily
Approximately 50 missions are made each day.
SOUTHWEST ASIA - Coalition aircraft flew 48 close air support and armed reconnaissance sorties Aug. 28 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. These missions included support to Coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities, and operations to deter and disrupt terrorist activities. Coalition aircraft also supported Iraqi and Coalition ground forces operations to create a secure environment for ongoing Transitional National Assembly meetings.
U.S. Air Force F-16s and a Predator and Royal Air Force GR-4s provided close air support to Coalition troops in the vicinities of Al Qaim and Baghdad.
Ten U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft flew missions in support of operations in Iraq. U.S. Air Force and Royal Air Force fighter aircraft also performed in a non-traditional ISR role with their electro-optical and infrared sensors.
In the air war over Afghanistan, Coalition aircraft flew 20 close air support and armed reconnaissance sorties in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. These missions included support to Coalition and Afghan troops, the parliamentary and provincial election process, presence route patrol to include border security, and reconstruction activities.
U.S. Air Force A-10s, F-16s, and a Predator, along with Royal Air Force GR-7s and French Air Force M-2000s, provided close air support to Coalition troops in the vicinities of Moqor, Oruzgan, and Tarin Kowt.
Five U.S. Air Force ISR aircraft flew missions in support of operations in Afghanistan. Royal Air Force and French Air Force fighter aircraft also performed in a non-traditional ISR role.
U.S. Air Force C-17s and C-130s provided intra-theater heavy airlift support, helping sustain operations throughout Afghanistan, Iraq, and the Horn of Africa. Approximately 150 airlift sorties were flown, moving nearly 3,295 passengers and nearly 305 short tons of cargo.
Coalition C-130 crews from the United Kingdom and the Republic of Korea flew in support of either OIF or OEF.
On Aug. 27, U.S. Air Force, Royal Air Force, French Air Force, and Singapore Air Force tankers flew 40 sorties and offloaded more than 2.2 million pounds of fuel.
Source: U.S. Central Command
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