B-52 Stratofortress deploy to RAF Fairford.
Karo-Aviation
visit RAF Fairford March 2019
The US Air Force
recently deployed six nuclear-capable B-52 bombers to Europe for
"theatre integration and flying training" exercises with regional allies
and NATO partners.
For this
exercise the U.S. Air Force has sent six B-52 aircraft and over 450
airmen the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale airbase to Royal Air Force
Fairford airbase, the first aircraft arrived on Thursday 14 March 2019
from Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana.
The
deployment enables theatre integration and training with USSTRATCOM
joint partners, allied nations and other U.S. Air Force units, further
enhancing bomber interoperability in the theatre.
On Monday March 18th 2019 the first mission was flown by four B-52s
conducted flights to several places in Europe, including to the
Norwegian Sea, the Baltic Sea/Estonia and the Mediterranean Sea.
B-52H 61-0015/LA with nose art "The Last Laugh" on a early morning take off.
|
Royal Air
Force Fairford airbase has been an U.S. Air Force standby base for
bomber operations around Europe for decades. The current deployment
marks the largest deployment of B-52 bombers to Europe since Operation
Iraqi Freedom in 2003.
The U.S. Air Force has deployed strategic bombers in Europe at least
once a year since 2014. Since then, all three U.S. Air Force bomber
variants – the B-1, B-2 and B-52 bombers – have deployed to Royal Air
Force Fairford airbase for exercises with European NATO Allies,
including to Exercise Baltops and Exercise Sabre Strike.
The rotational bomber presence at the base is aimed at enhancing
regional security, demonstrating U.S. commitment to the European region
and providing integrated training opportunities for deployed Airmen.
For more than 40 years B-52 Stratofortress have been the backbone of the
manned strategic bomber force for the U.S. Air Force.
Weighing 185,000 pounds, the B-52 first entered service in the 1950s
during the height of the Cold War, originally designed to serve as
long-range, high-altitude intercontinental nuclear bombers that could
strike deep into the Soviet Union.
The newest B-52H entered service in 1962, and the 159-foot plane became
a Cold War icon.
The planes have been modified heavily since the end of the Cold War and
have been upgraded with precision-guided missiles, electronics and
high-tech sensors. Each aircraft can carry up to 70,000 pounds of bombs,
mines and missiles.
A nice landing in the last
sunlight off the day
|
The aircraft's flexibility was evident in Operation Desert Storm and
again during Operation Allied Force. B-52s struck wide-area troop
concentrations, fixed installations and bunkers, and decimated the
morale of Iraq's Republican Guard. From Sept. 2 to 3, 1996, two B-52H's
struck Baghdad power stations and communications facilities with 13
AGM-86C conventional air launched cruise missiles, or CALCMs, as part of
Operation Desert Strike.
At that time, this was the longest distance flown for a combat mission
involving a 34-hour, 16,000 statute mile round trip from Barksdale Air
Force Base, Louisiana.
B-52s are currently upgrading from the Litening Advanced Targeting Pod
to the Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod. Sniper pods provide improved
long-range target detection/identification and continuous stabilized
surveillance for all missions, including close air support of ground
forces.
The pod’s advanced targeting and image processing technology
significantly increases the combat effectiveness of the B-52 during day,
night and under-the-weather conditions in the attack of ground targets
with a variety of standoff weapons (i.e., laser-guided bombs,
conventional bombs and GPS-guided weapons).
Participating B-52 in the exercise
|
60-0024 B-52H USAF no tail code or
artwork.
60-0025/LA B-52H USAF named "Ol' Crow Express II"
60-0032/LA B-52H USAF no artwork
60-0058/LA B-52H USAF no artwork
61-0013/LA B-52H USAF named "High Tension III"
61-0015/LA B-52H USAF named "The Last Laugh" |
Only the H model is still in the U.S. Air Force inventory
and is assigned to the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot AFB, North Dakota and the
2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, which fall under Air Force
Global Strike Command. The aircraft is also assigned to the Air Force
Reserve Command's 307th Bomb Wing at Barksdale AFB.
On March 19th, 2019, a press conference was held to communicate the
deployment at Royal Air Force Fairford airbase; one of the speakers was
Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Harrigian, U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces
Africa deputy commander who stated the following about the deployment.
“The task force will operate across the USAFE-AFAFRICA theatre from the
Arctic to the Sahara Desert, demonstrating how the U.S., with our allies
and partners, can quickly amass at a time and location of our choosing
to deter and defend against any possible aggression,”
Harrigian said. “Our robust, reliable, flexible, and
survivable strategic capabilities remain an important contribution to
security in current and future warfighting domains.””
This year also marks the 75th
anniversary for the base. Even though the installation is older, it
still provides the necessary amenities for current bomber missions.
“Royal Air Force Fairford airbase provides tailored capabilities and
facilities that make it an ideal platform to launch, recover and
maintain B-52 airpower,” Esposito said. This is a temporary deployment
and the assets will remain at Royal Air Force Fairford airbase until the
missions conclude.
“The overwhelming support we receive from the 501st Combat Support Wing,
base and community is welcoming and helps us overcome the inherent
challenges to sustain a Bomber Task Force,”
|