U.S. Air Force Image Two B-52 Stratofortresses assigned to the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, returned July 2 fr...
 |
| U.S. Air Force Image |
The mission, which was closely coordinated with the Australian Department of Defence, demonstrated the United States' ability to project its flexible, long-range global strike capability and provided unique opportunities to synchronize strategic activities and capabilities with a key ally in the U.S. Pacific Command area of operations.
During the mission, the B-52s integrated with Royal Australian Air Force ground forces in the region, conducted an inert conventional weapons drop on the Delamere Air Weapons Range and performed a low-approach at RAAF Base Tindal.
USSTRATCOM's bomber force regularly conducts such training and engagements around the globe. In June, three B-52s deployed to Royal Air Force Fairford, England, where they conducted training flights with ground and naval forces around the region and participated in multinational exercises Baltic Operations 2015 and Saber Strike 2015 over international waters in the Baltic Sea and the territory of the Baltic states and Poland.
In May, two B-52s participated alongside Jordanian forces in U.S. Central Command's exercise Eager Lion 2015. The mission consisted of a nonstop, 30-plus-hour sortie from the continental U.S. to the USCENTCOM area of operations.
Previously, in April, four B-52s flew round-trip flights to both the Arctic and North Sea regions. The training mission, Polar Growl, enabled bomber crews to conduct air intercept training with fighter aircraft from the U.K., Canada and the Netherlands.
B-52s also participated in NATO exercise Noble Justification in October 2014, during which the bombers assisted in the exercise's focus of validating the Spanish Maritime Force as the 2015 Maritime NATO Response Force.
The eight-engine, 390,000-pound (176,901-kilogram) jet was America’s first long-range, swept-wing heavy bomber with a 27,000 kg weapon payload.
On Oct. 26, 2012, Boeing marked 50 years since it had delivered its last B-52 Stratofortress to the U.S. Air Force. H-model bomber 61-040 had been assigned to Minot Air Force Base, N.D., where it remained in active service. Modern engineering analyses showed the B-52’s expected lifespan extending beyond 2040.
