AirForces Monthly – June 2018

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http://www.airforcesmonthly.com #363 JUNE 2018 // 17

B-52s return from CENTCOM

US AIR Force B-52H
Stratofortress bombers
have returned from a
record-breaking two-
year deployment to the
Middle East. B-52s flew
a final mission from Al
Udeid Air Base, Qatar
on April 7 and departed
for home four days later
after approximately 1,
missions targeting so-called

Islamic State and Taliban

forces. In the process, they

dropped almost 12,

weapons in US Central

Command’s (CENTCOM’s)

area of responsibility.

Last June, Stratofortress

crews deployed from the

23rd Bomb Squadron at

Minot Air Force Base,

North Dakota, flew 400

consecutive B-52 missions

without a maintenance

delay, breaking a record

that has stood since

Operation Linebacker II

in 1972. Beginning in

September, crews from

the 69th Expeditionary

Bomb Squadron (EBS)

flew 834 consecutive

B-52 missions without a

maintenance cancellation,

breaking a 761-mission

record set by B-1Bs in

CENTCOM. During the

B-52’s final seven months

in theatre, the 69th EBS

flew nearly 6,000 combat

hours and dropped more

than 2,300 munitions

in support of Operation

Inherent Resolve in Iraq

and Syria, and Freedom’s

Sentinel in Afghanistan.

The B-52s have been

replaced by B-1Bs for

CENTCOM missions, the

Lancers from Ellsworth

AFB, South Dakota arriving

at Al Udeid on March 31.

On April 8, a B-1B from the

34th EBS flew the type’s

first combat mission in

CENTCOM since 2016. The

B-1s left CENTCOM in 2016

to undergo the Integrated

Battle Station upgrade.

BOEING NC-135W 61-

recently deployed to RAF

Mildenhall, Suffolk, where

it is seen departing for a

mission on May 1. On

that day, ‘Treble Six’ flew

a relatively short sortie of

just over five hours. The

aircraft arrived at Mildenhall

as ‘Same 40’ on April 28.

Operated by the 645th

Aeronautical Systems

Group, Big Safari, the

purpose of the aircraft’s

visit to the UK is unknown,

but it may be related

to technical problems

suffered by RC -135V

64-14844 in the days prior.

This Rivet Joint is currently

on temporary deployment

to Mildenhall. Aircraft

61-2666 is operated from

Majors Field, Greenville,

Texas, alongside L

Aerospace Systems, where

it is used to test new or

upgraded equipment

before it’s installed on

board operational RC-135s.

Mark Rourke

AIRBUS DEFENCE & Space
has been working on trials
of a C295W prototype
for Canada’s Fixed-
Wing Search and Rescue
(FWSAR) programme from
San Pablo Airport, Seville.
The specially equipped

aircraft, c/n S1, which

carries the temporary

Spanish civil registration

EC-296, was seen at

the airport on April 5. It

includes new landing gear

sponsons with doors added

as well as housings for the

electro-optical systems

that will be provided by L- 3

Wescam. Work on the first

aircraft began in last June.

The C295W was selected

for the FWSAR requirement

on December 8, 2016 and

will replace the current

Royal Canadian Air

Force fixed-wing SAR

fleets of C C -115 Buffalo

and CC -130 Hercules

aircraft. Deliveries of the

16 aircraft are scheduled

to commence three years

after contract signature.

First HC-130J

Combat King

II delivered to

California ANG

LOCKHEED MARTIN

handed over a first

HC-130J Combat King

II combat search and

rescue tanker to the

California Air National

Guard (ANG) at the

company’s Marietta,

Georgia, facility on April

5. The HC-130J will be
   operated by the 129th
   Rescue Wing (RQW) at
   Moffett Air National Guard
   Base, California. The
   129th currently operates
   a fleet of MC-130P
   Combat Shadows,
   which will be replaced
   by four new HC-130Js.

Unique NC-135W at Mildenhall

FWSAR C295W under test

USAF/Staff Sgt Patrick Evenson