TEL AVIV -- Hundreds of the more than 6,000 targets struck from the air during Israel's 50-day urban war in Gaza were from fighter jets delivering one-ton bombs in record time and in close proximity to friendly ground forces. After-action accounts of Operation Protective Edge show unprecedented use of fixed-wing fighters for close air support (CAS) of urban maneuvering troops.With an F-16 dedicated to every brigade, precision air power provided "pillar of fire" protection for friendly forces fighting less than 350 meters away. That's more than a three-fold improvement, officers here said, from Israel's traditional 1-kilometer safety range for fixed-wing CAS.
"Until this last operation, we attacked in ranges of about 1,000 meters," said Brig. Gen. Amikam Norkin, Israel Air Force chief of staff. In a Sept. 10 interview, Norkin said Protective Edge marked the first time fixed-wing fighters were used as dedicated assets to division- and brigade-level forces.