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at [email protected]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 missionswithout 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-missionrecord 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 beenreplaced 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’ flewa relatively short sortie of
just over five hours. The
aircraft arrived at Mildenhall
as ‘Same 40’ on April 28.
Operated by the 645th
Aeronautical SystemsGroup, 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 -135V64-14844 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 RourkeAIRBUS 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 theelectro-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 currentRoyal 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- 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