A senior air force officer serving with NATO’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan has challenged the defense industry to produce lighter and more capable equipment for troops calling in air strikes on Taleban positions. Speaking at the Closec Air Support Conference organized by Defence IQ in London recently, Air Cdre Mike Jenkins, RAF, director of the ISAF Air Coordination Element, called for the development of a rifle-like targeting device for Joint Tactical Air Controllers (JTACs), also known as Forward Air Controllers (FACs). He also called for a common data link algorithm, to improve air-ground communications under combat conditions.
ISAF is under pressure to reduce the number of friendly fire and civilian casualties, as NATO and Afghan troops battle to prevent the Taleban from regaining territory and influence. Ten weeks ago, for instance, three British soldiers were killed and two more injured in Helmand Province by a bomb dropped from a US F-15. Late last month, Afghan President Hamid Karzai called for air strikes to be curtailed, because they are killing too many civilians.
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