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Approximately 150 maintenance Airmen, 2nd Bomb Wing pilots and support members recently returned from Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, where they participated in the 10-day Exercise Red Flag-Alaska. The exercise is designed to provide realistic and demanding air-combat training to flying unit members from across the Air Force, Department of Defense and Allied nations. "Everyone who participates (in the exercise) benefits greatly from the training," said Maj. Thomas Aranda, the 96th Bomb Squadron assistant director of operations. "The aviators enjoy some of the most realistic air-combat training available and the maintainers push the edge of the envelope by generating combat...

1024 x 818 pixels . . . 2486 x 1987 pixels . . .  via and more info http://www.flickr.com/photos/av8pix/2490787779/   1630 x 1202 pixels . . . 2306 x 1700 pixels . . .  via and more info http://ChamorroBible.org/gpw/gpw-200905.htm  

The new START treaty that would cut the number of U.S. and Russian nuclear weapons could also prompt the United States to trim the bomber leg of its nuclear force. Limits that reduce the number of deployed "launchers" to 700 could encourage U.S. nuclear policy makers to rely more on land-based and sea-based ballistic missiles and less on B-2 and B-52 bombers, said Tom Collina, research director at the Arms Control Association. "The bomber leg of the triad is not what you think about when you think about survivability and quick response," he said. At present, the United States has...

The U.S. Air Force is gearing up for the first of four planned test flights of a hypersonic aircraft designed to operate for much longer durations and cover far greater distances than previous platforms of its type. The maiden flight of the X-51 Waverider aircraft — the first U.S. hypersonic vehicle to fly in six years — is scheduled to take place later in March. Boeing Defense, Space & Security Systems of St. Louis has been developing the aircraft since 2003 on behalf of the Air Force Research Laboratory and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. The missile-shaped X-51 will be...

Air Force Global Strike Command's top officer emphasized his command's dedication to the bomber mission during the Air Force Association's Air Warfare Symposium and Technology Exposition Feb. 19 here. "Let me state right up front," said Lt. Gen. Frank Klotz, the AFGSC commander. "Global Strike Command (Airmen are) absolutely committed to providing robust and relentless advocacy for current and future bomber capabilities; in the conventional, as well as in the nuclear realm." Bombers have always been at the "heart and soul" of the Air Force since its very beginnings, General Klotz said. "The ability to hold at risk or strike...

In addition to violently roiling the Air Force for months, the infamous “Minot Incident” of August 2007 did something else. It highlighted a new view of the future of nuclear-armed cruise missiles. That event saw B-52H bombers unwittingly fly operational Advanced Cruise Missiles from Minot AFB, N.D., down to Barksdale AFB, La. Mostly unremarked is that weapons were being taken south for decommissioning. The Defense Department is retiring the nuclear-armed AGM-129 ACM entirely. As a result of strategic nuclear arms treaty obligations, the Pentagon scrapped planned life extension programs for the ACM. DOD moved to eliminate the ACM entirely and...

In a flight test reminiscent of the early days of the historic X-15 program 50 years earlier, the X-51A Waverider was carried aloft for the first time over Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., Wednesday, Dec. 9 by an Air Force Flight Test Center B-52H Stratofortress. The "captive carry" test was a key milestone in preparation for the X-51 to light its supersonic combustion ramjet engine and propel the WaverRider at hypersonic speed for about 5 minutes, before plunging into the Pacific Ocean. That flight test is currently planned in about two months, said Charlie Brink, X-51A program manager with the...

Barksdale AFB LA (SPX) Feb 03, 2010 Air Force Global Strike Command officials here assumed responsibility for the Air Force's nuclear-capable bomber force Feb. 1. This action completes the step-by-step transfer of all Air Force long-range, nuclear-capable assets to the Air Force's newest major command. The nation's intercontinental ballistic missile force became part of Air Force Global Strike Command on Dec. 1, 2009. The command staff will gain the 8th Air Force and its three bomb wings, one each at Barksdale Air Force Base, Whiteman AFB, Mo.; and Minot AFB, N.D. Those organizations control all of the B-52 Stratofortress and...

Boeing announced that a B-52H upgraded with new communication technology successfully accomplished its first test flight at Edwards Air Force Base on Jan. 17. The Combat Network Communications Technology (CONECT) upgrade allows B-52H crews to receive and send real-time digital information during their missions. The more than three-hour flight around the Edwards area included an initial system build-up test, interphone test and communication test. The test process included power-on of each system in flight to determine that there were no adverse effects on flight-essential systems.

1. USAF B-2 Spirit stealth bomber, with a Prandtl-Glauert Condensation Cloud, over the Pacific Ocean photographed by Bobbi Garcia. More info about the photo: http://web.archive.org/web/20031205232202/www.edwards.af.mil/archive/2003/2003-archive-garcia_photo.html Watch the first 15 seconds of this video: http://www.as.northropgrumman.com/products/b2spirit/assets/vm_b2_tx.wmv Via http://chamorrobible.org/gpw/gpw-20040817.htm 2. USAF B-52 Stratofortress loaded with Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) photographed by USAF Tech Sgt. Richard Freeland on 15 April 2003 during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Via http://chamorrobible.org/gpw/gpw-20051129.htm 3. USAF B-1B Lancer bomber with a Prandtl-Glauert Condensation Cloud photographed in Southwest Asia by USAF Staff Sgt. Shelley R. Gill on 16 January 2004. Via http://chamorrobible.org/gpw/gpw-20041216.htm 4. B-2 Spirit, BUFF, and BONE photographed by USAF...

The U.S. Air Force has backed away from developing a new electronic warfare aircraft. Now it will rely on UAVs equipped with jammers, and electronic jamming pods on non-specialized (as jamming aircraft) warplanes. This was not the preferred approach. Last year, the air force revived a program to convert some of its B-52 heavy bombers into radar jamming aircraft. This would be done by equipping the bombers with jamming pods (that are similar in appearance to large bombs). The air force planned to buy 24 sets of pods, for a force of 34 B-52s. Each pair of pods would cost...

For the second time in less than a year, the U.S. Air Force has relieved the commander of a combat wing. This time it was the 5th Bomb Wing, a B-52 outfit. Previously, the commander of one of the three Minuteman ICBM wings was relieved. The three missile wings control 450 American Minuteman III ICBMs. In this case, two other senior officers were also relieved (one of them the guy in charge of the Wing Maintenance Squadron.) In both cases, the reason was "loss of confidence in his ability to command". That's milspeak for "too many little things have gone...

The B-52 aircraft deployed as part of the U.S. Air Force fleet are to be equipped with secure Extremely High Frequency Communication Systems to enable them to remain in contact with other elements of the military in space, in the air and on the ground. The revolutionary EHF has been found to be more reliable and less susceptible to atmospheric conditions than other frequencies. The Boeing Co. said Tuesday it received a $5.4 million initial contract to begin work on developing technologies required to integrate the new EHF satellite communication system on the U.S. Air Force B-52 fleet. No timeline...

Minot Air Force Base is preparing to activate a new B-52 bomber squadron that will send 10 more B-52s to the North Dakota base. The new unit will be the fourth B-52 squadron in the Air Force. Minot base already has one squadron and Barksdale Air Force Base has the other two B-52 units. The Air Force has not said whether the planes will be transferred from Barksdale or taken from backup aircraft. Air Force officials say adding the new squadron at Minot is part of plans to put a stronger emphasis on nuclear mission training for B-52 units.

August 1, 2008: The first of 18 U.S. Air Force B-52H bombers has been retired. All 18 will have been decommissioned and put into storage by next Spring. That will leave 76 still active. The retired B-52Hs have been in service 47 years. These aircraft could continue for another decade or more, but it was decided (between Congress and the air force) that the money saved from not maintaining such elderly aircraft could be better used elsewhere.

Are we going to have an October surprise, an attack on Iran by either the Bush administration or by Israel to stop the regime from becoming a nuclear power? It could happen - and alter the dynamics of the presidential race in the blink of an eye - but only if Israel pulls the trigger. Don't expect the United States to drop bombs anytime soon

Near U.S. 52 and Minnesota 55 in Inver Grove Heights, a memorial marks the spot where an Air Force B-52 bomber slammed into a cornfield 50 years ago today, killing seven of eight crewmen aboard. About 15 miles west, Bloomington resident Dave Mattsson pays tribute to the crash in the basement of his Cape Cod-style home. The 45-year-old aviation history buff has spent parts of a decade researching the Cold War crash and collecting everything from black and white photos to pieces of the plane. "Anything old you can touch tells a story," said Mattsson, a former skydiving instructor and...

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080721/NEWS01/80720010&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL

Ktal has learned that a B-52 deployed from Barksdale crashed in the waters off Guam this morning. TheB-52 was scheduled to fly in Guam's Liberation Day parade, when for unknown reasons, the aircraft crashed. An extensive search is underway for the 6 crew members aboard that aircraft ...Their conditions are unknown.... we'll bring you more information as soon as it becomes available to us.

1st week in May 2008, Western Pacific Ocean, off the coast of Guam, USA -- Two USN F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets intercept the low flying USAF B-52 Stratofortress heavy bomber as it performs a rigging maneuver to identify the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68).Large, medium, and the above smaller photo via http://ChamorroBible.org/gpw/gpw-20050822.htm (photo 5). The Story Navy, Air Force train together to showcase capabilities By Staff Sgt. Stephen Teel, 36th Wing Public Affairs, Andersen AFB, Guam, USA http://www.GuamPDN.com/guampublishing/pacificedge/data/EkEkEFulppeoOcKtLi.htm