ABC News’ Martha Raddatz became the first journalist to fly in a bomb-laden fighter jet on a combat mission with the US Air Force. Earlier this month, she flew two missions over Afghanistan sitting backseat in a F-15E Strike Eagle, logging over five hours of flight time.

“It took months of preparation to be allowed on this close-air support mission,” she explains at ABCNews.com “I was granted access to classified briefings after submitting to a background check that gave me a temporary ‘secret’ clearance.”

Reports will air tonight on “World News” and “Nightline.”