U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today’s airpower summary.

Coalition aircraft flew 40 close-air support missions Nov. 21 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. They 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.

Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons flew a successful air strike near Salman Pak, dropping precision-guided bombs against an anti-Iraqi forces staging area and weapons cache.

Other Air Force F-16s provided close-air support to coalition troops in contact with anti-Iraqi forces near Al Hawijah.

In addition, 11 Air Force and Navy intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft flew missions in support of operations in Iraq.

In Afghanistan, coalition aircraft flew 21 close-air support missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. They included support to coalition and Afghan troops, reconstruction activities and conduct of presence route patrols.

Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs successfully flew an air strike near Deh Rawood, strafing an anti-coalition forces firing position and dropping a general purpose 500-pound bomb.

Air Force A-10s, F-16s and a B-52 Stratofortress and an MQ-1 Predator provided close-air support to coalition forces in contact with insurgents near Asadabad, Deh Rawood, Jalalabad, Khowst and Tarin Kowt.

In addition, four Air Force ISR aircraft flew missions in support of operations in Afghanistan.

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. They flew more than 145 airlift sorties, delivered nearly 230 tons of cargo and transported more than 2,000 passengers.

Coalition C-130 crews from Australia, Canada, Japan and South Korea flew in support of either OIF or OEF.

On Nov. 20, Air Force and Royal Air Force tankers flew 33 sorties and off-loaded nearly two million pounds of fuel.