Aircrews Refuel B-52s in Flight for the Fight

Defend America News ^ | Master Sgt. Scott King

[SandRat]

A U.S. Air Force KC-135R Stratotanker refuels a B-52 Stratofortress on a mission in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, March 13, 2006. The B-52 provides close air support for ground troops in Afganistan. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Douglas Nicodemus
Aircrews Refuel B-52s in Flight for the Fight
In six short weeks, KC-135s here have delivered more than 11 million pounds of fuel to B-52s that have flown forward into Afghan airspace providing close air support for U.S. and coalition forces on the ground.
By U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Scott King OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM, March 17, 2006 — In six short weeks, KC-135s here have delivered more than 11 million pounds of fuel to B-52s that have flown forward into Afghan airspace providing close air support for U.S. and coalition forces on the ground. Without this fuel, the BUFFS would not be able to carry out this mission, possibly resulting in loss of life for forces conducting their missions on the ground in Afghanistan. "Our mission of providing fuel to our bombers is a highly effective tool in the Global War of Terrorism." U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Bryon Sherriff “Our mission of providing fuel to our bombers is a highly effective tool in the Global War of Terrorism,” said 1st Lt. Bryon Sherriff, KC-135 co-pilot with the 28th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron. “Our airframe, attached with the B-52s, allows global reach and global power to many areas of the world – including Afghanistan. “I’m personally highly rewarded being able to fulfill this role that directly affects our nation's future, he said. “Extending the BUFF’S range has a direct influence on the preservation of our freedom.” Flying with a crew of three, a pilot, co-pilot, and boom operator, the stratotanker has a range of 1,500 miles with 150,000 pounds of fuel transfer capability and can fly a ferry mission up to 8,000 nautical miles. A navigator is also used on Special Operations Air Refueling Missions due to the complexity of the mission. Nearly all of the tankers internal fuel can be pumped through its flying boom, the KC-135’s primary fuel transfer method. A special shuttlecock-shaped drogue, attached to and trailing behind the flying boom, may be used to refuel aircraft fitted with probes, mostly Navy aircraft. An operator stationed in the rear of the plane controls the boom or drogue. Airman 1st Class Desiree Campbell, a boom operator with the 28th EARS, has been at the controls of tanker booms for less than one year refueling multi-million dollar U.S. and coalition aircraft. “So far I've enjoyed being a KC-135 boom operator because it has given me the chance to work with professional people and see different places in the world,” Campbell said.	My job is to get the receiver [B-52s here] their fuel so they can complete their close air support missions and make a difference from the skies over Afghanistan.” In direct support of Operation Enduring Freedom, the 135 pilots here have flown close to 200 combat support sorties in the last six weeks. “Our crews are flying four to five times per-week with 48 hours of alert duty mixed in, so it’s very busy,” said Maj. Nathan Diaz, KC-135 pilot. “The requirement for aerial refueling is far from being a thing of the past. If you ask anyone that knows anything about air campaigns, air combat, strategic, and even tactical warfare, they’ll tell you that gas in the sky is the long pole in the tent – the Air Force cannot conduct airborne operations, of any significance, without air refueling,” Diaz said. “That simple fact is what all tanker aircrews and the people that support them take pride in.” B-52 pilots here mirror that same sentiment about the vitality of the stratotanker. “Without the KC-135, our mission here would simply not happen,” said Lt. Col. Mark Maryak, 28th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron commander and B-52 pilot. “Every time a forward air controller, on the ground in Afghanistan, contacts or looks up and sees our bombers, we’re well aware that it took at least two KC-135s from this Forward Operating Location to make it happen,” Maryak said. “Whenever we, as B-52 aircrew members, have the opportunity to shape the battlefield with our armament, we realize that it’s the fuel from the tanker that got us to the battlefield.” Lt. Col. Marc Van Wert, 28th EARS commander and KC-135 pilot, has a special place in his heart for the tanker aircrews. “Our crews are doing a phenomenal job supporting the warfighter. It’s not uncommon to find young crewmembers today with more than 2,000 flying hours early in their career,” Van Wert said. “It’s because they have been ‘fueling the fight’ for multiple world-wide taskings since Sept. 11. We are asking them to fly a great deal to support the warfighter, and they have answered the call time and time again.”

[SandRat]

Fiil 'Er Up! Ethel Please. Oh yeah and clean the windscreen too.

[DoughtyOne]

Nice.

Filegula...

[StarCMC]

LOL! Cool.

[llevrok]

I am glad I don't have to pay that bad boy's gas bill (directly). A teen aged daughter is darn near expensive, though....

[taillightchaser]

Wonder why they're not using the newer KC-10s over there??

[puppypusher]

Flying backward,passing gas.

[phantomworker]

LOL! Refueling like that is so incredible! Nice picture.

[HardStarboard]

What's going on in Afghanistan that requires 200 B-52 sorties in the last six weeks.

I knew that the Taliban had threatened new uprisings, but if we need that much ordinance to subdue them again, they are far stronger and/or numerous than rumored.

The "close air support" tag on the missions implies that we are heavily engaged with sizeable Taliban units. You don't need a B-52 strike to deal with a small rag-tag group of terrorists.

Anyone got the "straight" scoop on what's happening?

[SandRat]

Hey, as the father of two now grown girls I'm still paying off the loans for all the Barbie Stuff.

[SandRat]

Bunker busters to collapse Caves????

[Tree of Liberty]

Just a WAG, but perhaps we're engaging Pakistani intelligence service personnel acting in support of the Taliban/Al Queda.

[phantomworker]

Hey, I'll bet my sons' video games, action figures and Hot Wheels cost more than Barbie Stuff! ;)

[COEXERJ145]

200 sorties doesn't mean all 200 involved combat. The B-52's are used because of their very long loiter time and many were most likely orbiting on call if necessary.

[Professional Engineer]

The wide angle lens doesn't do justice to just how close the two planes are.

In the one and only flight I ever took on a USAF plane I was able to get into the boomer position on a KC-135 while refueling a flight of A-7's. You're close enough to read the pilot's name on his flight suit.

[SandRat]

did I forget to mention a son too with all that plus He-Man and GI-JOE stuff?

[phantomworker]

LOL! OK, you win. My two boys share most of their stuff. College isn't cheap either...

[SandRat]

Tell me about it! Paid the fare for the two oldest and halfway through the last and it was graduate one and the next goes in.

I'm a Renaissance Dad "Baroque!"

[Knuckledragger]

It's 2006 and B-52s are performing CAS. Who wudda thunk it?

[A.A. Cunningham]

They're passing gas over Iraq.

KC-10 Extender takes over in-flight fueling job

Last pair of white world KC-135’s depart