Coalition airpower supports Marines near Karabilah

  • Published
SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFPN) --  Coalition aircraft dropped seven precision-guided bombs while providing close-air support to coalition troops in the western Al Anbar province of Iraq on June 11. Anti-Iraqi forces had taken refuge in buildings in an attempt to shield themselves from coalition attack. An estimated 40 insurgents were killed.

F-16 Fighting Falcons aircraft dropped five GBU-12s and two GBU-38s against armed anti-Iraqi forces engaged with U.S. Marines assigned to Regimental Combat Team-2.

These successful strikes resulted from close coordination with coalition ground forces who had requested immediate air support, said Brig. Gen. Allen G. Peck, deputy combined forces air component commander. Airpower was the only effective way to eliminate this threat.

“Our job was to provide close-air support and intel to coalition troops in direct contact with anti-Iraqi forces,” General Peck said. “Airpower support extends well beyond dropping munitions. Our top priority is providing close-air support and reconnaissance to our Soldiers, Marines and coalition forces in contact with enemy forces on the ground.”

Making this all happen seamlessly involved a joint terminal attack controller on the ground, weather professionals contending with regional sandstorms, airfield operations experts at Balad Air Base, Iraq, and other nearby bases, and the network of air crews flying missions, officials said.

Dropping these precision-guided munitions is an example of how the coalition air campaign has been the most deliberate, disciplined and precise air campaign in history, officials said. Nearly 70 percent of all munitions used by the air component since the start of the operation have been precision-guided. Every possible precaution is taken to protect innocent Iraqi civilians, friendly coalition forces, facilities and infrastructure, officials said.

The coalition began using 500-pound Global Positioning System-guided joint direct attack munitions weapons in September 2004 when they became available. The GBU-38’s smaller warhead provides planners an all-weather precision strike capability that is very well suited for targets where collateral damage is a factor such as in this case. GBU-38s have become the weapon of choice in attacks against the Zarqawi terrorist network because of their accuracy and lower explosive weight, officials said.

GBU-12s are also 500-pound munitions but use lasers to guide the path of flight rather than GPS.

For this mission, U.S. Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Royal Air Force aircraft flew intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and refueling sorties.

“Coalition air forces remain postured to respond to anti-Iraqi forces’ activities,” General Peck said.