AIR COMPONENT DATA

	NEWS RELEASE HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND 7115 South Boundary Boulevard MacDill AFB, Fla. 33621-5101 Phone: (813) 827-5894; FAX: (813) 827-2211; DSN 651-5894

August 19, 2004
Release Number: 04-08-64

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AIR COMPONENT DATA

COMBINED AIR OPERATIONS CENTER — In Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, Coalition aircraft on Aug. 18 flew 46 strike sorties in Close Air Support (CAS) for Main Supply Routes (MSR) and Alternate Supply Routes (ASR), and for Troops in Contact (TIC) situations.

U.S. Air Force F-15Es and 16s provided close air support to Coalition troops in contact in separate engagements in the vicinity of An Najaf with no weapons expended.

U.S. Air Force F-15Es and U.S. Navy F-14s and F/A-18s provided close air support to Coalition troops in contact in the vicinities of Al Hillah and Al Amarah with no weapons expended.

Strike sorties were also dedicated to convoy security on MSRs and ASRs, using the aircrafts’ electro-optical and infrared sensors to monitor for unusual activity.

Eighteen U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, Royal Air Force and Royal Australian Air Force aircraft in OIF flew ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) missions, including tactical reconnaissance, Predator, and U-2 aircraft.

In Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, Coalition forces flew 19 strike sorties.

U.S. Air Force A-10s provided close air support to Coalition troops in contact in the vicinities of Moqor and Shindand with no weapons expended.

Two U.S. Air Force aircraft in OEF flew ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) missions, including tactical reconnaissance, U-2 aircraft, Global Hawk and Predator.

U.S. Air Force C-130s flew 124 airlift sorties supporting Central Command operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. They moved nearly 1,700 passengers and 373 short tons of cargo.

Other airlift sorties in support of either OIF or OEF were flown by C-130 crews from the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan and Canada.

On Aug. 17, U.S. Air Force and Royal Air Force tankers flew 45 sorties and offloaded more than 2.2 million pounds of fuel.

August 19, 2004
Release Number: 04-08-63

FIRST ID SOLDIERS DETAIN 10 DURING OPERATION WOLVERINE

TIKRIT, Iraq - 1st Infantry Division Soldiers detained 10 individuals Aug. 19 during a series of searches near Ad Duluiyah around 2:30 a.m.

The Soldiers confiscated three rifles, one shotgun, one AK-47 assault rifle, one pistol and several spools of copper wire.

The searches were part of Operation Wolverine, intended to prevent organized anti-Iraqi force activities and deny sanctuary to the AIF.

The Soldiers transported the individuals to a Multi-National Force detention facility for questioning.

http://www.centcom.mil/CENTCOMNews/news_release.asp?NewsRelease=20040863.txt

August 19, 2004
Release Number: 04-08-62

IRAQI SECURITY FORCES AND MNF RESTORE ORDER IN AL HAYY

CAMP DELTA, Iraq - Iraqi Security Forces, with support from Multi-National Forces, conducted raids Tuesday and Wednesday in search of Muqtada Militia and other criminal elements in Al Hayy.

Task Force Tomahawk, 1st Battalion, 23d Infantry Regiment, sealed the city of Al Hayy for about 14 hours as the Iraqi Police Service and Iraqi National Guard conducted the raids.

Tuesday night, two civilian buses inadvertently entered crossfire between U.S. Soldiers from Task Force Tomahawk and Mutada Militia in downtown Al Hayy. As the U.S. Soldiers returned small arms fire at the anti-Iraqi forces, the buses moved into the crossfire resulting in six dead and five injured civilians.

MNF medics treated the injured civilians and Iraqi Police evacuated the casualties to a local hospital.

The Iraqi Government and Multi-National Force regret the loss of life caused as a result of this incident, which is under investigation.

No MNF casualties were reported during the operation.

In another incident, one ING commander, who had been kidnapped for several days, was freed.

http://www.centcom.mil/CENTCOMNews/news_release.asp?NewsRelease=20040862.txt

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