NO(^70) THE MAGAZINE 01 71
SCANDINAVIAN
AVIATION MAGAZINE
B-52s deploy to Europe
On the 11th of January the first B-52H
Stratofortress assigned to the 5th Bomb Wing
at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, landed
at RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire, for a two-week
deployment in the European skies.
A total of four strategic bombers and
approximately 300 Airmen were deployed to the
base to conduct theater integration and training
in the United Kingdom and mainland Europe.
This first deployment of 2018 will see the
bombers also include joint and allied training to
improve bomber interoperability. The Air Force
Global Strike Command bomber presence in
Europe is a visual representation of the U.S. Air
Force’s ability to utilize long-range, precision
air power.
Global Strike Command
“The B-52s are instrumental in providing basic
bomber assurance and deterrence, supporting
the widest array of mission sets of any bomber
platform,” said Capt. Matthew, 23rd Expeditionary
Bomb Squadron assistant director of operations
for logistics and aircraft commander. “We can
support anti-sea maritime missions, close-air-
support and precision strike, and wind-corrected
munitions.”
The purpose of the deployment of Air Force
Global Strike Command’s B-52s to RAF Fairford
is to exercise a state of readiness at United States
Air Forces in Europe’s forward operating location
for strategic bombers. “We have the versatility
to work with many allied nations, giving them
an opportunity to work with bombers that they
normally don’t get,” said Matthew. “Ultimately,
it’s good for everybody - in addition to other
countries, it allows us to train in the region to
maintain a state of readiness and ability to
deploy with no notice.”