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 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,”

 


 
 

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