F-16 footage

This is an F-16 doing Close Air Support (CAS) during the recent fighting

in Fallujah. As you know, we have been bombing insurgent "safe houses"

with some success recently. This F-16 was on such a mission, to hit a house with a Laser Guided Bomb (LGB), when 30+ insurgents left the

building en masse to hurry to a nearby engagement with US Marines, which

had been going on for hours. The pilot communicates with a Forward Air

Controller (FAC), either in the air or on the ground, and changes the

flight path of the bomb while it is in the air. You can clearly see the

"L" flashing in the Multi-function Display (MFD), and "TGP" is selected.

I'm assuming that the bomb itself is probably a 500 pounder, as Mk 84s

(1000 lb.) would be overkill in an urban setting where the Rules of

Engagement call for minimal "collateral damage".

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• war
• close
• air
• support