CSAF reconfirms service’s commitment to close-air support Published Feb. 11, 2004 By Master Sgt. Scott Elliott Air Force Print News WASHINGTON -- The Air Force is committed to upgrading close-air support for ground troops, the service’s senior officer said.Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper met with the Senate Armed Services Committee on Feb. 10, as part of the 2005 Defense Authorization hearing series.“We are configuring our Air Force to be able to maintain the superiority of air and space,” the general said. “You will see in this budget efforts that will assure we have dedicated close-air support into the future.”General Jumper outlines several projects, including the development of small diameter 250-pound bombs, armed Predator unmanned aerial vehicles and a new bomb rack. The rack will allow a single B-2 Spirit bomber to deliver up to 80 individually guided global positioning system-guided munitions.“Since Kosovo, and particularly into Afghanistan, we have worked close-air support with every kind of airframe we have,” General Jumper said. “The most significant addition has been our bomber force.”In many cases, the general said, airmen have provided close-air support with greater accuracy using long-distance GPS-guided bombs than by flying fighter aircraft closer to the ground. That does not, however, mean the smaller aircraft will lose their close-air support mission.“We will continue to have in the Air Force dedicated airplanes whose sole mission is close-air support, like the A-10 Thunderbolt,” General Jumper said. “We will continue with dedicated close-air support capability in our Air Force.”