B-52 Stratofortress Takes On Its Next Combat Role for US CENTCOM

On 9 April,at least 2 US Air Force B-52H Stratofortress bombers landed at Al Udeid Air Base,Qatar after a long haul flight from Barksdale Air Force Base,Louisiana.According to Air Force Central Command,they were deployed in support of theatre requirements and the anti-ISIL Operation Inherent Resolve.The B-52 will provide the coalition continued precision and deliver desired airpower effects,said Lieutenant General Charles Q. Brown,Commander,US Air Forces CENTCOM and Combined Forces Air Component.As a multi-role platform,the B-52 offers diverse capabilities including delivery of the precision weapons and the flexibility and endurance needed to support the combatant commanders' priorities and strengthen the coalition team.*
The long-range B-52 can perform a variety of missions including strategic attack;close air support;air interdiction;and maritime operations.Crews will be available for missions to both Iraq and Syria.The B-52 demonstrates our continued resolve to apply persistent pressure on ISIL and defend the region in any future contingency,LTGEN Brown added.*
The deployment is the first time the B-52s have been based in the CENTCOM Area of Responsibility since being based in Saudi Arabia 26 years ago during Operation Desert Storm.B-52s were last deployed in a combat role during Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan in May 2006.*
At a 7 March State of the Air Force briefing,Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James disclosed that the B-1B Lancer bombers had returned from their OIR mission in January.While they will be receiving much needed modernisation and maintenance,the venerable B-52 with its similar capacity and accuracy and endurance remains ready and able to meet combatant commanders' requirements.There have been recent infrastructure improvements that now allow the necessary support to deploy the B-52 in theatre,Ms.James noted.*
Indeed,the Air Force intends to keep the Boeing B-52s flying as far out as 2040,since they are seen as providing certain missions that are hard to replicate by other aircraft,primarily with regard to the range and payload aspects.The bomber's payload can include cruise missiles with both nuclear and conventional warheads,as well as Joint Direct Attack Munitions,cluster and gravity bombs.*
Boeing (BA)

US Air Force Briefing - new bomber,tanker,F-22s for Europe

Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James and Chief of Staff General Mark Welsh briefed reporters at the Pentagon Monday on the major programmes and issues the US Air Force is dealing with.The new long-range strike bomber,reportedly designated the B-3,will be intended to replace the B-52H and B-1B aircraft starting in the mid-2020's and over the next 25 years,GEN Welsh said.The B-52's going to try to make 100 years,but we really should take a look at that.We're at the point today where we don't have enough planes to keep our air crews trained.We have four types of planes that are over 50 years old.*
Secretary James spoke about the new air refueling tanker,the Boeing KC-46A Pegasus,which is based on the 767 airliner.Its first Air Force flight has been delayed by a month because an incorrect fuel substitute was placed in the fueling boom.It was already flown briefly by Boeing in December 2014.Boeing still believes it will deliver 18 aircraft by August 2017,Ms.James said.The margin in the schedule is all but gone.Would there be any operational impacts?It's a disappointing delay,but any cost overruns will not be borne by the government.*
As to whether the US could effectively respond to an Iranian crisis,GEN Welsh said our job is to be ready.I'm confident that the US military would be able to complete any mission that was assigned.
On North Korea having a missile that can strike the US,we know where North Korea is going toward.I think it's something we have to watch.They may have a missile capable of reaching the West coast.Certainly they have a missile capable of reaching Hawaii or US facilities in the Pacific,and that's our main concern.Whether they can deliver a payload with them,that's something beyond my understanding.*
The impending deployment of F-22 Raptors to Europe in light of Russian aggression in Ukraine was addressed by Secretary James.The timing and basing details are classified.The F-22 is part of the European Reassurance Initiative.It's an air-to-air capability.We need to be able to interoperate with the Eurofighter,for example,and that's what this training is for.*
We will get to F-35A initial operational capability next year,GEN Welsh promised.The new Gen 3 helmet has just been delivered.It is much more than a helmet.It is a workspace,providing situational awareness of the battlespace.All the people flying the F-35 since I've been here,the three years,say I want to use it.It's pretty incredible,amd they're very adaptable.
In Iraq and Syria,dynamic targeting,or an aircraft loitering until it is assigened a target,is not a new approach.We don't want to drop bombs indiscriminately.If we can't get the targeting done,we bring the aircraft home and they try again in the next sortie.*
Talks with Turkey are ongoing about a second Turkish air base,apart from Incirlik,being used in search and rescue operations for the anti-ISIL air campaign,Operation Inherent Resolve,Ms.James added.
The seven Air Force jobs that women cannot yet qualify for are currently being evaluated.These are difficult jobs,mostly in the special operations forces,and based on the reports I'm getting,I'm optimistic.We in the Air Force lead the services in the number of jobs women can qualify for,Secretary James pointed out.*
Boeing(BA)

Air Force Seeks Nuke Command Upgrade;B-2s Arrive in England

Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James has submitted a proposal to upgrade Global Strike Command,which oversees the nation's Minuteman III ICBM force and strategic bombers,from a three-star billet to a four-star billet.As well,1100 more personnel will be added to the command in the proposal sent to Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel for his approval.Congress will have the final say on the plan.
The reforms are intended to shore up the troubled command,which has been rocked by a cheating scandal among some missile launch officers and morale problems among Airmen.There is a general impression that the nuclear deterrence mission has been valued less than other Air Force missions since the end of the Cold War.In a press release,Secretary James said this important mission in the Air Force deserves the highest level of oversight similar to our other operational core mission areas.
Incentive pay will also be instituted under the proposal,and a new Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal has already been approved by Ms.James.The staffing increase will address shortfalls and offer our Airmen a more stable work schedule and better quality of life,according to Air Force Chief of Staff General Mark Welsh III.*
In other GSC news,on 8 June,two of the Command's B-2 Spirit bombers flew to RAF Fairford,England to train and integrate with US and allied forces in the region.The heavy bombers will be conducting training flights in the US European Command area of operations,so air crews can sharpen skills in key operational sets and familiarise themselves with regional air bases and operations.
The deployment of strategic bombers provides an invaluable opportunity to strengthen and improve interoperability with our allies and partners,said Admiral Cecil Haney,US Navy,commander of US Strategic Command,which includes GSC and all three elements of the US nuclear triad:ICBMs,bombers and ballistic missile submarines.The training and integration of strategic forces demonstrates to our nation's leaders and allies that we have the right mix of aircraft and expertise to respond to a variety of potential threats and situations,ADM Haney continued.
The B-2s are from the 509th Bomb Wing out of Whiteman Air Force Base,Missouri.The Spirit is a multi-role bomber that can deliver both conventional and nuclear munitions.Its stealthy characteristics allow it to penetrate the most sophisticated of the enemy's defences and threaten their most heavily defended,highest value targets for decades to come.
GSC's other strategic bombers are the B-52 Stratofortress and B-1B Lancer.*
The deployment of the B-2 Spirit bombers to Europe is in line with a series of augmented and stepped-up deployments of US aircraft,ships and troops to NATO countries in light of the Ukraine crisis.The moves strengthen readiness and reassure allies of America's commitment to the NATO treaty obligation of collective defence.