Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
Inside the Air Force
October 3, 2008
The Air Force wants to reactivate a squadron of semi-retired B-52 bombers as part of an effort to place more emphasis on the service’s nuclear mission through a rotational construct, Inside the Air Force has learned.
The additional squadron would augment the bomber fleet by allowing the service to maintain its current conventional operations levels while letting a portion of the fleet to enter nuclear intensive training for one year. Last week, ITAF first reported that the service will designate a number of B-52 Stratofortress or B-2 Spirit aircraft and personnel for the one-year duty in an effort to expose more airmen to the nuclear mission (ITAF, Sept. 26, p1).
Officials from Air Combat Command, U.S. Strategic Command, Headquarters Air Force and 8th Air Force are evaluating alternatives for the creation of the new combat-coded B-52 squadron, an Air Force official said late last week.
ACC will align specific units to support the first period of this rotation this fall, the official said.
The goal of the dedicated nuclear squadron is to give airmen more experience and training for the sensitive missions. Since the Air Force entered combat operations in Afghanistan in 2001, bomber crews have focused mostly on conventional missions and training.
Today the service bases the majority of its B-52s at Barksdale Air Force, LA, and Minot Air Force Base, ND. Minot is among the sites being considered for the additional squadron, the official said. Customary site surveys and environmental impact assessments are under way.
The Air Force maintains a fleet of 94 B-52 H-model bombers; however, 27 of those aircraft are either not funded or are listed in “backup aircraft inventory” status, according to a September Pentagon report. Another 97 B-52 G-model aircraft are in the bone yard at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, AZ.
For a number of years, the Air Force has been trying to trim its bomber inventory, made up of the supersonic B-1B Lancers, stealthy B-2 Spirits and stalwart B-52 Stratofortresses.
The Pentagon’s 2005 Quadrennial Defense Review called for a reduction in the B-52 force from 94 to 56 aircraft. The expected cost savings was supposed to go toward fully modernizing the Air Force’s remaining bomber aircraft. The Air Force’s fiscal year 2007 budget request reflected the draw-down strategy, which was expected to generate $680 million in procurement-related savings while also shirking personnel billets by 3,924. However, those plans never came to fruition because lawmakers would not approve the draw down.
In the FY-09 defense authorization bill, Congress recommends prohibiting the Air Force from reducing the B-52 fleet below 76 aircraft. At press time (Oct. 2), the president had not signed the bill into law.
--Marcus Weisgerber
October 3, 2008
The Air Force wants to reactivate a squadron of semi-retired B-52 bombers as part of an effort to place more emphasis on the service’s nuclear mission through a rotational construct, Inside the Air Force has learned.
The additional squadron would augment the bomber fleet by allowing the service to maintain its current conventional operations levels while letting a portion of the fleet to enter nuclear intensive training for one year. Last week, ITAF first reported that the service will designate a number of B-52 Stratofortress or B-2 Spirit aircraft and personnel for the one-year duty in an effort to expose more airmen to the nuclear mission (ITAF, Sept. 26, p1).
Officials from Air Combat Command, U.S. Strategic Command, Headquarters Air Force and 8th Air Force are evaluating alternatives for the creation of the new combat-coded B-52 squadron, an Air Force official said late last week.
ACC will align specific units to support the first period of this rotation this fall, the official said.
The goal of the dedicated nuclear squadron is to give airmen more experience and training for the sensitive missions. Since the Air Force entered combat operations in Afghanistan in 2001, bomber crews have focused mostly on conventional missions and training.
Today the service bases the majority of its B-52s at Barksdale Air Force, LA, and Minot Air Force Base, ND. Minot is among the sites being considered for the additional squadron, the official said. Customary site surveys and environmental impact assessments are under way.
The Air Force maintains a fleet of 94 B-52 H-model bombers; however, 27 of those aircraft are either not funded or are listed in “backup aircraft inventory” status, according to a September Pentagon report. Another 97 B-52 G-model aircraft are in the bone yard at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, AZ.
For a number of years, the Air Force has been trying to trim its bomber inventory, made up of the supersonic B-1B Lancers, stealthy B-2 Spirits and stalwart B-52 Stratofortresses.
The Pentagon’s 2005 Quadrennial Defense Review called for a reduction in the B-52 force from 94 to 56 aircraft. The expected cost savings was supposed to go toward fully modernizing the Air Force’s remaining bomber aircraft. The Air Force’s fiscal year 2007 budget request reflected the draw-down strategy, which was expected to generate $680 million in procurement-related savings while also shirking personnel billets by 3,924. However, those plans never came to fruition because lawmakers would not approve the draw down.
In the FY-09 defense authorization bill, Congress recommends prohibiting the Air Force from reducing the B-52 fleet below 76 aircraft. At press time (Oct. 2), the president had not signed the bill into law.
--Marcus Weisgerber