GlobalStrike

THE AIRCRAFT THE OPERATIONS THE WEAPONS

AIR FORCE GLOBAL STRIKE COMMAND - AMERICAS NUCLEAR BOMBER FORCE

AMERICAS
STRATEGIC
WARFIGHTERS
THE CONTINUOUS
BOMBER
PRESENCE
GLOBAL STRIKE AMERICA'S NUCLEAR BOMBER FORCE
To Deter & AAir Force Global Strike Command
S HORTLY AFTER the Soviet
Union collapsed in December
1991, the US Air Force initiated a
major reorganisation that consoli-
dated its intercontinental ballistic
missile (ICBM) and strategic
bomber fleets, and most of
its tactical strike aircraft
into a single command.
The changes resulted in the
deactivation of Strategic Air
Command (SAC) and Tactical
Air Command (TAC), to create Air
Combat Command (ACC) on June 1, 1992.
In a subsequent change, the ICBMs and their
support helicopter fleet were transferred to Air
Force Space Command (AFSPC) on July 1, 1993.
In the wake of several incidents involving the
security of nuclear weapons and components
in 2007 and 2008, it became clear that the
strategic nuclear assets required additional
oversight. As a result, the decision was made
to reunite the nuclear bomber and missile
fleets, consolidating control under a single
major command. Formal plans for the creation
of Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC)
were announced in October 2008.
Provisionally established at Bolling AFB,
Below: A B-2 Spirit on the flight line at Whiteman
AFB, Missouri, is prepared for a night-time training
sortie. USAF
2 AIR FORCE GLOBAL STRIKE COMMAND
Washington DC on January
12, 2009, the command
formally activated at Barksdale
AFB, Louisiana, on August 7, 2009.
It assumed control of the ICBM
fleet from AFSPC on December
1, 2009 and on February
1, 2010, the long-range,
nuclear-capable B-2A and
B-52H bomber fleets were
transferred from ACC to AFGSC.
Headquartered at Barksdale
and led by a four-star general officer,
AFGSC is tasked to develop and provide
combat-ready forces for nuclear deterrence
and global strike operations. It is responsible
for the nations 450 LGM-30 Minuteman III
ICBMs and the operational fleet of 19 B-2A,
75 B-52H and 61 B-1B strategic bombers.
It assumed responsibility for the B-1Bs and
7,000 personnel previously assigned to
ACC on October 1, 2015. Command assets,
including more than 31,000 personnel, are
assigned to two Numbered Air Forces (NAFs).
Between them, AFGSC and AFSPC serve
as United States Strategic Commands
(USSTRATCOMs) warfighting Component
Major Commands (C-MAJCOMs), tasked to
execute deterrence, assurance and global strike
missions. Air Force Global Strike Commands
dual-capable bomber fleet is the most visible
leg of the nuclear triad that includes ICBMs
and submarine-launched ballistic missiles.
Although SACs bombers stood down
from the 24/7 nuclear alert mission in
September 1991, the capability to deliver
the weapons has been retained. As a result
of arms limitation treaties, however, the
number of vehicles capable of delivering nuclear
weapons has been drastically reduced.
In accordance with the 2010 New Strategic
Arms Reduction Treaty (New START), by 2018
the USAF will field just 66 nuclear-capable stra-
tegic bombers. At that time the fleet will com-
prise 46 B-52Hs (including 44 operational and
two non-operational), 20 dual-capable (nuclear
and conventional) B-2As, and 30 B-52Hs and
63 B-1Bs limited to conventional weapons.
Organisation
Eighth Air Force/Air Forces Strategic (8AF/
AFSTRAT) is responsible for the entire fleet
of manned bombers, which are assigned
to five active duty Bomb Wings (BWs). A
single Air National Guard (ANG) wing, and
an Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC)
www.airforcesmonthly.com
& Assure
Responsibility for the US
airborne nuclear deterrent rests
with Air Force Global Strike
Command, although its B-1B,
B-2A and B-52H bombers also
have important conventional
attack and power projection
roles. Tom Kaminski reports.

in Asia amid heightened tensions during

Chinas construction of military facilities on
disputed islands in the South China Sea.
The Twentieth Air Force (20AF), also designated
as USSTRATCOMs Task Force 214, is responsible
for three missile wings (MWs) operating around
450 LGM-30 Minuteman III ICBMs. Led by a
major general and headquartered at FE Warren
AFB, Wyoming, the commands missiles are
located in a series of underground silos spread
out along the northern tier of the Midwest US.
On March 27, 2015 the 582nd Helicopter
Above: Two B-1B Lancers from Dyess AFB, Texas, fly a low-level training mission over New Mexico. At one Group was activated under 20AF and assumed
time the most controversial bomber in USAF history, the B-1 has survived and adapted itself from a Cold War- responsibility for three helicopter squadrons
era nuclear striker to one of the most effective close air support platforms currently flying. Jim Hazy Haseltine that had been assigned directly to the MWs.
wing and group are also gained by AFGSC deployed in support of expeditionary operations.
and share responsibility for operating the Air Force Global Strike Command exercises Testing, tactics
bombers at Whiteman AFB, Missouri, and annually with every combatant command and maintenance
Barksdale AFB and Dyess AFB, Texas. and joint partner through the Bomber Development testing is the responsibility of
Co-located with the AFGSC at Barksdale and led Assurance And Deterrence (BAAD) mission. Air Force Materiel Commands Air Force Test
by a major general, 8AF serves as the Component An example of that mission occurred on Center (AFTC) at Edwards AFB, California. The
Numbered Air Force (C-NAF) for USSTRATCOM July 1, 2015 when two B-52s conducted a 412th Test Wings 419th Flight Test Squadron
and is designated Task Force 204. The com- 44-hour nonstop mission from Barksdale (FLTS) Global Bombers operates two B-1Bs,
mands bombers provide conventional support AFB to Australias Northern Territory and two B-52Hs and a single B-2A for trials work.
for US Northern Command (NORTHCOM), delivered inert conventional bombs against Also at Edwards, the 31st Test and Evaluation
US Central Command (CENTCOM), US Pacific targets on the Delamere Air Weapons Range. Squadron (TES) conducts combined opera-
Command (PACOM) and US Southern Command The BAAD mission was carried out as part tional and developmental testing using the
(SOUTHCOM) as required and are regularly of the Pentagons effort to reassure allies bombers assigned to the 419th FLTS. It is a

www.airforcesdaily.com AIR FORCE GLOBAL STRIKE COMMAND 3

GLOBAL STRIKE AMERICA'S NUCLEAR BOMBER FORCE

Above: A B-52H from the 96th Expeditionary Bomb Wing based at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, flies over
geographically separated unit (GSU) of the 53rd
the Pacific Ocean on a training mission from Andersen AFB, Guam. The small island of Guam has been a
Wings 53rd Test and Evaluation Group (TEG), temporary home to B-52s since the 1960s. Jim Hazy Haseltine
which is a component of ACCs USAF Warfare Below: Inert Mk 62 Quick Strike mines hang in the bomb bay of a B-52H Stratofortress at RAF Fairford,
Center. Respectively based at Barksdale, Gloucestershire, on June 11, 2015. The mines were used in exercise BALTOPS 2015. Groundcrew loaded
Whiteman and Dyess, the 49th, 72nd and two B-52s with nine mines each, so aircrews could test their ability to precisely drop the munitions onto a
337th TES are also GSUs of the 53rd TEG target located off the coast of Sweden. USAF
and conduct operational test and evaluation
using aircraft assigned to the host wings.
Stationed at Dyess, Whiteman and Barksdale,
the 77th, 325th and 340th Weapons Squadrons
are GSUs of ACCs 57th Wing and the USAF
Weapons School at Nellis AFB, Nevada. Each
provides advanced training in weapons
and tactics employment to senior aircrew,
using aircraft assigned to the host wings.
The responsibility for life cycle management
of the bomber fleet is assigned to the USAF
Sustainment Centers Oklahoma City Air
Logistics Complex (OC-ALC) at Tinker AFB,
Oklahoma. Northrop Grumman typically car-
ries out B-2A programmed depot maintenance
(PDM) and major modifications at its Aircraft

4 AIR FORCE GLOBAL STRIKE COMMAND www.airforcesmonthly.com

Integration Center of Excellence in Palmdale,
California. Similar efforts for the B-52H and
B-1B are generally carried out by OC-ALCs
76th Aircraft Maintenance Group at Tinker.

BUFFs
Flown for the first time as the semi-operational
B-52A in 1954, the Stratofortress or BUFF
(Big Ugly Fat Fellow) is the longest serving
combat aircraft in US history. The venerable
long-range heavy bomber has an impressive
combat record that includes the Vietnam
War and Operations Desert Storm, Desert
Fox, Allied Force, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi
Freedom. It has served as the backbone of
the manned strategic bomber force, tasked
with missions including strategic attack,
close air support, air interdiction, offensive
counter-air and global maritime strike.
The first B-52Bs entered operational service
on June 29, 1955 and the last of 102 B-52Hs
was built in October 1962. Today, 74 aircraft
remain in AFGSC service, including 18
assigned to AFRC. Although the average age of
the aircraft is 55.6 years, the B-52H is expected
to remain in service into the 2040 timeframe.
Five combat-coded squadrons currently oper-
ate the Stratofortress, including four active-duty
and an AFRC associate squadron. Another
AFRC squadron is tasked as the formal
training unit (FTU) and supported by an active
associate squadron. The fleets 44 bombers
are divided between the 2nd Bomb Wing
(BW) at Barksdale and the 5th BW at Minot
AFB, North Dakota. The four operational
squadrons at Barksdale and Minot are each
assigned 11 combat-coded aircraft and one
considered Backup Aircraft Inventory (BAI).
The ongoing Combat Network
Communications Technology (CONECT)
improvements provide the bomber with
enhanced combat capabilities through
the incorporation of new colour displays,
Above: A USAF weapons crew is instructed on how to prepare an AGM-158 Joint-Air-to-Surface Standoff Mis-
sile (JASSM) before loading it on to the bomber in the background. Jim Hazy Haseltine
computers and communications upgrades.
Besides providing the crew with increased
situational awareness, CONECT enhances the
bombers ability to conduct close air support
(CAS) missions. The integrated suite supports
mission retasking and weapons retargeting for
the AGM-86C/D Conventional Air Launched
Cruise Missile (CALCM), AGM-158A Joint Air-
to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) and AGM-
158B JASSM-Extended Range (JASSM-ER).
CONECT development began in March 2005,
and flight test was completed at Edwards in
December 2011. The first operational B-52H to
receive the upgrade was delivered to Barksdale in
April 2014 and full rate production was approved
in January 2015. The upgrade will be completed
by 2017 at a cost of around US$1.1bn.
Smaller projects have replaced the aircrafts
AN/APX-64 identification friend or foe (IFF) sys-
tem with the newer AN/APX-119 as one of sev-
eral Communication Navigation Surveillance/
Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) capabilities
that will enable the aircraft to operate safely
in controlled airspace. Additionally, the AN/
ALR-46 digital warning receiver and ALQ-155
self-protection systems have recently been
upgraded in order to counter emerging threats.
The bomber has a weapons load of more than
70,000lb (31,751kg) and is capable of carrying
the most diverse range of nuclear and conven-
tional weapons of any combat aircraft in the
inventory. For its nuclear mission, the B-52H
can carry up to 20 AGM-86B Air-Launched
Cruise Missiles (ALCMs) equipped with W80
warheads. Six ALCMs can be mounted on each
of its wing pylons, plus eight in the bomb bay
on the Common Strategic Rotary Launcher
(CSRL), which can tote up to eight B61-7
or B83 nuclear bombs as an alternative.
For conventional missions, the BUFF employs
a range of munitions carried internally and
externally. Boeing is improving the B-52s

Above: A USAF B-52 flies with Swedish Air Force Gripens during Baltic Operations in 2015. BALTOPS is an
annual multinational exercise designed to enhance the flexibility and interoperability, as well as demonstrate
resolve among allied and partner forces in defending the Baltic region. US Navy
Left: A line of B-52s from the 5th Bomb Wing, Minot AFB, parked on the ramp at Ellsworth AFB, South
Dakota. The Stratofortresses were temporarily deployed to the base while Minots runway was undergoing
repairs. Jim Hazy Haseltine

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GLOBAL STRIKE AMERICA'S NUCLEAR BOMBER FORCE

range of ordnance, including up to 16 CBU-103,

CBU-104 or CBU-105 Wind-Corrected Munitions
Dispensers (WCMDs), 12 AGM-154 Joint
Stand-Off Weapons (JSOWs), JDAMs or JASSMs.
As required by New START, the capability to
deliver nuclear weapons from 30 operational
aircraft and 12 B-52Hs stored with the 309th
Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration
Group at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona. The
first conversion, an aircraft operated by
the AFRCs 307th BW, was completed at
Barksdale in August 2015. The conversion
programme will conclude by early 2017.
The B-52H first received an autonomous
targeting pod capability in 2003 when AN/
AAQ-28 Litening II pods were installed on two
aircraft operated by the AFRCs 93rd Bomb
Squadron (BS) at Barksdale. The pod was
first used operationally to deliver laser-guided
munitions against targets in northern Iraq on
April 11, 2003. The projects success resulted
in the decision to integrate the AN/AAQ-33
Above: Flying in the conventional strategic bomber role, a B-52H of the 96th Bomb Squadron, 2nd Bomb Sniper advanced targeting pod (ATP) as well,
Wing from Barksdale AFB, takes off from Nellis AFB, Nevada, during Red Flag 16-2. Nate Leong in a process that began in September 2008.
Below: A B-1 from Dyess AFB, Texas, sweeps its wings back and manoeuvres onto its attack heading over The B-52H is now compatible with both pods.
the range as it prepares to release a pair of GBU-31s. Jim Hazy Haseltine Numerous attempts have been made to
ability to deliver conventional precision-guided
munitions (PGMs) as part of the Advanced
Weapons Integration (AWI) and Internal
Weapons Bay Upgrade (IWBU) projects.
It recently delivered six upgraded Conventional
Rotary Launchers (CRLs) that enable the
aircraft to carry up to eight GPS-guided smart
weapons internally, providing a 60% increase
in smart weapons payload, since these could
previously be carried only externally. The
CRL incorporates a new integrated weapons
interface unit (IWIU) on CSRLs that are excess
to nuclear requirements. Once equipped
with the IWIU, the launchers are no longer
capable of deploying nuclear weapons.
Initially providing the capability to carry eight
Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs) or GBU-
54 Laser JDAMs (LJDAMs), CRL compatibility
will be extended to the JASSM and JASSM-ER,
ADM-160 Miniature Air Launched Decoy
(MALD) and MALD Jammer (MALD-J). Boeing
initially modified three prototypes and will
deliver 38 production units by October 2017.
Different wing pylon configurations suit a wide

6 AIR FORCE GLOBAL STRIKE COMMAND www.airforcesmonthly.com

 re-engine the B-52H and in 2015 the USAF
again solicited information from potential
contractors regarding a replacement for the
bombers eight Pratt & Whitney TF33 turbofans.
Studies have shown that new engines could
reduce the bombers fuel consumption by
around 35%, increase its range and reduce the
requirements for tanker support. The aircraft
could also operate at higher altitudes, and
maintainability and reliability would improve.
A planned radar modernisation programme
(RMP) will replace the bombers mechanically
steered AN/APQ-166. According to Maj Gen
Richard M Clark, Commander Eighth Air Force,
the new radar and more modern, fuel-efficient
engines are essential to maintaining the B-52s
continued combat capability through 2040.

Bones
Developed as the Advanced Manned Strategic
Above: An airman from the 304th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Unit directs B-1 'Rage' to the runway
Aircraft (AMSA), the B-1A programme
at Al Udeid AB, Qatar. Lancers once again found themselves on the front line flying bombing missions over
Iraq striking Daesh facilities such as command and control sites and training compounds. Qatar became a was cancelled in June 1977 after four
rotating detachment for B-1s until January 2016. USAF prototypes had been built. The aircraft was
Below: A B-1B pilot from the 28th Bombardment Squadron flies a low-level training mission over western Texas. resurrected as the B-1B, or Bone, develop-
Unusually for an aircraft of its size the B-1 is equipped with a fighter style control column. Boeing modified the ment of which began in October 1981; the
front office so a laptop computer could be connected to show a moving map display. Jim Hazy Haseltine initial aircraft flew in October 1984.
Rockwell International, which later became
part of the Boeing Company, delivered the
first B-1B Lancer to Dyess in June 1985
and the new bomber carried out its first
operational flight on July 14, 1985. The last
of 100 B-1Bs was delivered on May 2, 1988
and on June 1, 1992 the fleet was reassigned
from SAC to the newly created ACC.
The long-range strategic bombers capability
to deliver nuclear weapons was removed in late
1997. Its ability to carry conventional weapons
was upgraded under the Conventional Mission
Upgrade Program (CMUP), which initially made
it compatible with 500lb Mk 82 GP bombs.
Additional weapons, including PGMs, were
added through a series of block upgrades.
These have enabled it to deliver the
GBU-54 LJDAM and JASSM-ER. The
B-1B is currently supporting testing of the
AGM-158C Long Range Anti-Ship Missile
(LRASM), which will be fielded in 2018.
With an average age of 32 years, the
versatile B-1B carries the largest payload of
guided and unguided conventional weapons

Above: The latest version the Sniper targeting pod, the Sniper SE is attached to a B-1B of the 337th Test
and Evaluation Squadron at Dyess AFB. This is part of the Sniper Sensor Enhancement package part of the
ATP-SE programme, which is intended to provide the USAF with a modern targeting system for its aircraft.
Jim Hazy Haseltine
Left: Two B-52s assigned to the AFGSC taxi while three others take off from Minot AFB, North Dakota, on
November 8, 2015 during Exercise Global Thunder 16. Global Thunder is an annual US Strategic Command
training event that assesses command and control functionality in all USSTRATCOM mission areas. USAF

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GLOBAL STRIKE AMERICA'S NUCLEAR BOMBER FORCE

in combat over Afghanistan in August 2008.

The fleet is currently receiving additional capa-
bilities as part of the largest modification package
so far developed for the Bone. The Integrated
Battle Station (IBS) and Sustainment-Block 16
(SB-16) combine three separate upgrades that
provide the Lancer with a Fully Integrated Data
Link (FIDL) enabling line-of-sight and beyond
line-of-sight command and control (C2) con-
nectivity, new computers and five multi-function
displays at the aft crew stations. In addition,
the Vertical Situation Display Upgrade (VSDU)
replaces the pilot and co-pilot primary flight dis-
plays and flight instruments with two new colour
displays. The SB-16A software enhances opera-
tion of the glass cockpit, systems and sensors.
The first operational B-1B upgraded with the
IBS modifications arrived at Dyess in January
2014 and modifications on the 15th aircraft
were completed in December 2015, enabling
the upgraded bomber to achieve IOC. Fleet
Fourteen B-1s line the
upgrades should be completed by 2019 and
ramp at Ellsworth AFB,
South Dakota. Lancer IBS-equipped aircraft ready to fill combat
crews first saw combat deployment commitments this summer.
during Operation Desert Another project will replace the B-1Bs AN/
Fox in 1998. Since then APQ-164 radar with a new active electroni-
the B-1s have deployed cally scanned array (AESA) system based on
overseas to support the Northrop Grumman AN/APG-83. The
Operation Enduring Free- Scalable Agile Beam Radar-Global Strike
dom, Iraqi Freedom and
(SABR-GS) will be installed from 2016. It will
recently Odyssey Dawn,
Freedoms Sentinel and provide the bomber with advanced operational
Inherent Resolve. capabilities including the ability to produce
Jim Hazy Haseltine large synthetic aperture radar (SAR) maps,
advanced image processing and sensor
of any aircraft in the USAF inventory it is
capable of hauling a 75,000lb (34,019kg)
load a distance of 7,455 miles (11,998km)
with AAR. Weapons are carried on CRLs
in three weapons bays and on Enhanced
Conventional Bomb Modules (ECBMs).
Crews on the B-1B first saw combat during
Operation Desert Fox in 1998. They returned
to action during Allied Force in 1999 and
the fleet has been engaged in continuous
combat since 2001. The 7th and 28th BWs
have flown more than 14,000 operational
missions in support of Enduring Freedom, Iraqi
Freedom and, more recently, Odyssey Dawn,
Freedoms Sentinel and Inherent Resolve.
In January 2016, B-1Bs from Ellsworth AFB,
South Dakota, completed a six-month rotation
to Al Udeid AB, Qatar, marking the end of almost
14 years continuous bomber rotations in sup-
port of CENTCOM. The B-1Bs departure from Above: A pair of B-1 bombers, one from the 49th Test and Evaluation Squadron (TES) at Barksdale AFB and
the theatre is temporary, but was necessitated the other from the 337th TES at Dyess AFB fly formation during a training sortie over New Mexico.
to support fleet-wide upgrades. During their Below: A weapons crew at Dyess AFB, Texas, prepare to load a GBU-31 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM)
assignment to the 379th Air Expeditionary onto a B-1. The Lancer can carry the largest payload of guided and unguided conventional weapons of any
aircraft in the USAF inventory. Both images Jim Hazy Haseltine
Wing, Ellsworths 37th Expeditionary Bomb
Squadron flew approximately 490 sorties
and delivered more than 4,850 munitions
against targets in Syria and Iraq.
Among modifications made to the bomber,
one enabled it to carry the Sniper XR target-
ing pod. The first pods were installed in
response to a July 2006 US Air Forces Central
Command (AFCENT) Urgent Need Request
to install the ATP on the B-1B. In addition to
laser-guided bomb (LGB) employment, the
installation enables Remotely Operated Video
Enhancement Receiver (ROVER) video downlink
and expanded the bombers non-traditional
intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance
(ISR) capability. The ATP was first employed

8 AIR FORCE GLOBAL STRIKE COMMAND www.airforcesmonthly.com

Only 16 B-2As are maintained as combat ready
aircraft at any given time, the other four undergo
a constant upgrading and routine maintenance.
Since they entered service the Spirits have flown
around 120,000 hours. This looks set to rise fol-
lowing the announcement by the AFGSC in 2012
that regular overseas training deployments would
increase. Don Logan USAF

integration. Besides providing the B-1B with squadron under the 7th BW at Dyess and Spirits
new ISR and targeting capabilities, its open two assigned to the 28th BW at Ellsworth; Development of the Advanced Technology
architecture supports the integration of data the 28th BW also takes the FTU mission. Bomber began in November 1981 and the
from other current and planned sensors. Activation of the 489th Bomb Group at Dyess first B-2A Spirit was unveiled in November
Additional upgrades under consideration AFB, on October 17, 2015, marked the first 1988. It flew for the first time at Palmdale
include the addition of a multiple ejector rack time that AFRC had been involved in B-1B on July 18, 1989. The programme
(MER) that would increase the bombers operations. Assigned to the 307th BW at originally called for 132 production aircraft,
500lb JDAM and LJDAM capacity from 15 Barksdale AFB as a GSU, the group has a single but only 21 Spirits were delivered.
to 48, providing a 320% increase in capabil- squadron operating B-1Bs and assigned to the The stealth bomber incorporated a high
ity. The MER would also have a mixed-load 7th BW under a classic reserve association and degree of low-observable (LO) technology that
capability enabling it to simultaneously carry tasked with operational and FTU missions. provides it with the capability to penetrate
JASSMs and 500lb and 2,000lb JDAMs. Whereas 35 B-1Bs are stationed at Dyess, heavily defended airspace to deliver a wide
The B-1B fleet currently includes 61 aircraft 28 are located at Ellsworth and typically variety of nuclear and conventional weapons.
operated by one active duty combat coded 36 are considered combat ready. Its unique combination of range, precision,
payload and ability to operate in anti-access/
area denial (A2/AD) environments enables
the B-2 to attack the highest value targets.
The first operational B-2A was delivered to the
509th BW at Whiteman on December 17, 1993.
The initial ten production aircraft were deliv-
ered in Block 10 configuration with a limited
combat capability that included conventional
2,000lb Mk 84 GP bombs, and B61 and B83
nuclear gravity weapons. Three Block 20 air-
craft followed, featuring a GPS-Aided Targeting
System (GATS) and an interim capability
to deliver 2,000lb GBU-36/B and 4,700lb
GBU-37/B GPS aided munitions (GAMs).
In addition to structural modifications, radar
cross section (RCS) and radar absorbent
material (RAM) coating improvements, the
two production Block 30s featured full JDAM
integration and incorporated bomb rack
Above: A B-1 Defensive Systems Operator, from Ellsworth AFB, goes through her pre-flight checks on the
new Integrated Battle Station (IBS) system. The upgraded panel layout brought a significant reduction in
workload to the operators. Jim Hazy Haseltine
Below: Red Flag (RF) has been a regular exercise for B-1B crews, this Lancer 86-0111 Lets Roll from the
34th Bomb Squadron, 28th Bomb Wing, departs Nellis AFB, Nevada, during RF 2016-2 for a practice strike
mission. Nate Leong

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GLOBAL STRIKE AMERICA'S NUCLEAR BOMBER FORCE

assembly units that enabled the carriage of
cluster munitions, aerial mines and other
smaller stores. Additionally, the aircrafts AN/
APQ-181 radar included a ground moving-
target indication (GMTI) mode and terrain
following/terrain avoidance (TF/TA) capabilities.
All of the earlier aircraft were eventually
brought up to Block 30 configuration and the
final upgraded aircraft was delivered in July
2000. The B-2A achieved full operational capa-
bility on December 17, 2003. Since entering
service, the fleet has received many upgrades,
including the B-2 Radar Modernization
Program (RMP), completed in September 2012.
Ongoing major upgrades are incorporating
a new satellite communications system, new
computers and additional weapons capabili-
ties, as well as upgrades to the DMS. Indeed,
DMS Modernization (DMS-M) is the number
one priority B-2 modification programme.
It upgrades the electronic support measures,
passive antennas and computers that comprise
the bombers electronic warfare system,
and improves the jets ability to penetrate
and survive in A2/AD environments. Flight
test of DMS-M is planned for 2017 and
the system will enter service by 2021.
A Flexible Strike software upgrade will
provide the capability to carry mixed weapon
loads including a Rotary Launcher Assembly
(RLA) in one weapons bay and a Smart
Bomb Rack Assembly (SBRA) in the other.
It will also permit full integration of B61-12
Life Extension Program (LEP) upgrades.
A host of smaller upgrades will improve safety,
reliability, communications, survivability and
Above: Airman assigned to the 509th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron conclude their final inspections on two
B-2s prior to take off from Whiteman AFB on February 2, 2016. The B-2s, along with more than 130 other
aircraft were taking part in the three-week exercise Red Flag 16-1 at Nellis AFB, Nevada. USAF
Below: A B-2A Spirit of Georgia flies over Whiteman AFB on November 8, 2015 during an exercise. The
509th Bomb Wing runs a pilot exchange with the RAF, with former Tornado pilots being among those that
have qualified as B-2 instructors. USAF
maintainability, and is intended to ensure during the initial days of Operation Enduring
that the Spirit, which now has an average age Freedom. Between October 6 and 11, 2001,
of 27 years, remains viable until it reaches six missions, each in excess of 44 hours, were
the end of its projected service life in 2058. flown from Whiteman and crews delivered
Entering combat over Kosovo on March 64 weapons against targets in Afghanistan
24, 1999, the B-2A was the first aircraft before recovering at Naval Support Facility
to penetrate Serbian air defences on the Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory.
opening night of Operation Allied Force. Over Engine-running crew changes (ERCCs) were
35 days, six B-2As flew 47 combat sorties conducted several times, a second crew operat-
from Whiteman, each averaging 31 hours in ing the 29-hour return flight to Whiteman.
length. Although they were responsible for less In addition to its nuclear deterrence
than 1% of the total sorties flown, the B-2As mission, the B-2As intercontinental
delivered 656 weapons, totalling 1.3 million range and LO profile enable it to conduct
lb (600,556kg) and destroyed 11% of the nuclear response, global strike and
fixed targets engaged in Serbia and Kosovo. global precision-attack missions. It has an
Following the 9/11 terror attacks, B-2As were unrefuelled range in the region of 6,000nm
the first aircraft to attack targets in Afghanistan (11,112km) and can fly up to 10,000nm

Crew chiefs at Andersen AFB, Guam, wait for

instructions from the cockpit as they prepare to
launch a B-2. Three of the bombers along with 225
airmen from Whiteman AFB deployed to Guam on
August 2015 to conduct familiarisation training at
the Pacific base. USAF

10 AIR FORCE GLOBAL STRIKE COMMAND www.airforcesmonthly.com

(18,520km) with a single aerial refuelling.
Each of the B-2As two side-by-side weapon
bays is capable of carrying up to 30,000lb
(13,608kg) of ordnance on eight-round
RLAs. Alternatively, four SBRAs enable it to
engage as many as 80 separate targets. For
conventional missions the Spirit can carry
16 GBU-31 JDAMs; 80 GBU-38 JDAMs; 36
CBU-87/89/97 cluster bombs; 16 AGM-154
JSOWs or AGM-158 JASSMs; eight GBU-28,
GBU-37 or EGBU-28 5,000lb penetrator
bombs; or a pair of 30,000lb GBU-57
Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOPs). The
GBU-57 can destroy hardened, deeply buried
targets and is a unique B-2A capability.
For the nuclear mission, up to 16 B61
or B83 free-fall bombs can be carried.
Future weapons integration efforts will add the
precision-guided B61-12, advanced versions of
the GBU-28E/B and GBU-28B/D bunker bust-
ers, JASSM and JASSM-ER, a 5,000lb version
of JDAM, 2,000lb GBU-56 LJDAM, GBU-53/B
Small Diameter Bomb II and the planned
Long Range Standoff (LRSO) cruise missile.
The 20-aircraft B-2A fleet is assigned to
two operational squadrons within the 509th
BW at Whiteman, while another squadron
is tasked as the FTU. Only 16 B-2As are
maintained as combat ready aircraft at any
given time. Co-located at Whiteman, the
Missouri ANGs 131st BW shares responsibil-
ity for operating and maintaining the B-2As
under a classic reserve association.
The two wings completed the first Total
Force Integration (TFI) combat mission as
part of Operation Odyssey Dawn over Libya
The B-1B is powered by four afterburning General Electric F101-GE-102s installed in twin-engine pods under the wing roots. Jim Hazy Haseltine
www.airforcesdaily.com
Above: With a fleet wide upgrading under way, the possibility of new engines and the installation of a new
radar, to replace the B-52s mechanically steered AN/APQ-166 unit, the BUFF has an operational future
with the USAF until at least 2040. Jim Hazy Haseltine
on March 21, 2011. Three B-2s delivered 45
JDAMs against hardened aircraft shelters on
an air base near Sirte, during an 11,418 mile
(18,375km) round-trip mission from Whiteman.
Since entering service the B-2A fleet
has flown around 120,000 hours, includ-
ing more than 3,000 in combat over
Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya.
In August 2012, AFGSC announced that
B-2As would begin regular worldwide training
deployments. The most recent demonstra-
tion of this commitment occurred from
August 7 to 28, 2015, when three B-2As
deployed to Andersen AFB, Guam. More
than 25 sorties were generated, including
a mission that launched three bombers for
participation in the Red Flag-Alaska exercise.
Long Range Strike-Bomber
A new manned bomber is among the USAFs
top three acquisition programmes. It plans to
replace the B-52H and B-1B fleets with between
80 and 100 Long Range Strike-Bomber
(LRS-B) aircraft, now designated the B-21,
at a cost of around US$80bn. The B-21 will
be an integral element in the USAFs future
Long Range Strike Family of Systems. It is
expected to employ stealth capabilities, carry
a large payload and be capable of conducting
conventional and nuclear deterrent missions.
The programme is currently classified as
secret, but several details were revealed in
advance of selection of the winning design.
The bomber will be manned, but unmanned
operation is considered an option that
could be implemented after initial operating
capability (IOC) is achieved in 2025. It will
initially carry conventional weapons, but nuclear
capability will follow around two years after
IOC. Although the bombers major subsystems
have been selected, no details regarding the
aircrafts systems have been revealed.
The USAF received proposals from Northrop
Grumman and a team comprising Boeing and
Lockheed Martin. On October 27, 2015 the for-
mer was selected as winner. Boeing protested
the award with the Government Accountability
Office (GAO) on November 6, 2015 and the
USAF issued a stop-work order to Northrop
Grumman the same day. Following its review,
on February 16, 2016 the GAO issued a ruling
denying the Boeing/Lockheed Martin protest
and reaffirming the USAF decision. It paved the
way for Northrop Grumman to resume work.
The B-21 project includes a cost-reimbursable
engineering and manufacturing development
(EMD) phase that provides cost and performance
incentives for Northrop Grumman. The EMD
phase will cost around US$23.5bn in 2016.
The first five production lots, totalling 21 aircraft,
will be purchased under a fixed-price incentive
contract. Planned production includes up to 100
bombers and, based on that total, the average
procurement unit cost per aircraft is required
to be equal to or less than US$550m in 2010
dollars, or around US$606m in 2016 dollars.
AIR FORCE GLOBAL STRIKE COMMAND 11
GLOBAL STRIKE AMERICA'S NUCLEAR BOMBER FORCE
Between Fiscal Years (FYs) 2011 and 2015, the
USAF spent US$1.9bn on risk reduction efforts
that enabled the two competitors to complete
initial designs. Over the next five years it plans
to spend approximately US$12.1bn in LRS-B
research, development, test and evaluation funds.
Twin Hueys
Air Force Global Strike Command serves as
the lead command for the USAFs fleet of 62
Bell UH-1N Iroquois, or Twin Hueys. Three
squadrons operate 25 Twin Hueys that flew
more than 3,800 sorties during FY2015.
The helicopters are primarily tasked to provide
rapid, flexible security force airlift, support
security surveillance of off-base movements
of nuclear weapons convoys, missile fields
and test range areas, provide transportation
support to missile crews and missile mainte-
nance personnel and a SAR capability. They
primarily operate over the commands ICBM
missile fields, located in Colorado, Montana,
Above: Convoy escort, security force airlift and surveillance of off-base movements of nuclear convoys are
the primary tasks of the UH-1Ns of AFGSC. Current plans call for their replacement by the mid-2020s with
an off-the-shelf existing type that has yet to be decided. Tom Kaminski
12 AIR FORCE GLOBAL STRIKE COMMAND
Above: A T-38A Talon from the 509th BWs 394th Combat Training Squadron formats with a B-2 Spirit of
South Carolina during a training mission over Whiteman AFB, Missouri. Fourteen Talons serve as companion
trainers for bomber aircrews. USAF
Below: The new Northrop Grumman Long Range Strike Bomber (LRS-B) now known as the B-21 will be
the first new bomber for the USAF in the 21st century. The USAF has not provided a public figure for the
production cost of the first 21 aircraft and the total remains classified. USAF
Nebraska, North Dakota and Wyoming.
Although the UH-1Ns are more than 45 years
old, the service plans to fly them until the
mid-2020s and recent upgrades have included
safety improvements that installed crashworthy
aircrew seats and night-vision-goggle-compat-
ible cockpits. Additionally, helicopter terrain
avoidance and warning, and traffic collision
avoidance systems are being incorporated to
improve situational awareness and survivability.
Because the UH-1N no longer meets surviv-
ability, carrying capacity, endurance, or speed
requirements, AFGSC is moving forward with
the acquisition of a follow-on system that will
meet all nuclear security mission requirements.
A UH-1N Replacement Program was included
in the USAFs FY2016 budget submission and
efforts to select a replacement are under way.
It will be an in-production, non-developmental
(NDI), government or commercial off-the-shelf
(GOTS/COTS) aircraft. The service is, however,
www.airforcesmonthly.com
Air Force Global Strike Command Order of Battle
Wing/Group Squadron Location Aircraft TC Wing/Group Squadron Location Aircraft TC
AIR COMBAT COMMAND (ACC) JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, VA Air National Guard (ANG) Units JB Andrews-NAF Washington, Md.
USAF Warfare Center (USAFWC) Nellis AFB, NV 131st BW/OG 110th BS (Note 4) Whiteman AFB, MO B-2A WM
53rd WG Eglin AFB, FL Tenth Air Force (10AF) NAS JRB Fort Worth/Carswell Field, TX
53rd TEG Nellis AFB, NV Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) Units - Robins AFB, GA
31st TES (see Edwards AFB, CA B-1B, B-2A, ED 307th BW/OG 93rd BS (FTU) Barksdale AFB, LA B-52H BD
Note 1) B-52H
489th BG 345th BS (Note 5) Dyess AFB, TX B-1B DY
49th TES Barksdale AFB, LA B-52H OT
Twentieth Air Force (20AF) F.E. Warren AFB, WY.
72nd TES (Note 1) Whiteman AFB, MO B-2A WM
582nd HG 37th HS F.E. Warren AFB, WY UH-1N FE
337th TES (Note 1) Dyess AFB, TX B-1B DY
40th HS Malmstrom AFB, MT UH-1N MM
57th WG Nellis AFB, NV
54th HS Minot AFB, ND UH-1N MT
USAFWS Nellis AFB, NV
90th MW/OG 319th MS F.E. Warren AFB, WY LGM-30G
77th WPS Dyess AFB, TX B-1B WA 320th MS F.E. Warren AFB, WY LGM-30G
325th WPS (Note 1) Whiteman AFB, MO B-2A WM 321st MS F.E. Warren AFB, WY LGM-30G
340th WPS (Note 1) Barksdale AFB, LA B-52H LA 91st MW/OG 740th MS Minot AFB, ND LGM-30G
AIR FORCE GLOBAL STRIKE COMMAND (AFGSC) BARKSDALE AFB, 741st MS Minot AFB, ND LGM-30G
LOUISIANA
742nd MS Minot AFB, ND LGM-30G
Eighth Air Force/Air Forces Barksdale AFB, LA
341st MW/OG 10th MS Malmstrom AFB, MT LGM-30G
Strategic (8AF/AFSTRAT)
12th MS Malmstrom AFB, MT LGM-30G
2nd BW/OG 11th BS (FTU) Barksdale AFB, LA B-52H LA
(Note 2) 490th MS Malmstrom AFB, MT LGM-30G
20th BS Barksdale AFB, LA B-52H AIR FORCE MATERIEL COMMAND (AFMC) WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB, O
96th BS Barksdale AFB, LA B-52H Air Force Test Center (AFTC) Edwards AFB, CA

5th BW/OG 23rd BS Minot AFB, ND B-52H MT 412th TW/OG 419th FLTS Edwards AFB, CA B-52H, B-1B, ED
B-2A,
69th BS Minot AFB, ND B-52H
USAF Sustainment Center (AFSC) Tinker AFB, OK
7th BW/OG 9th BS Dyess AFB, TX B-1B DY
Oklahoma City Air Logistics Tinker AFB, OK
28th BS (FTU) Dyess AFB, TX B-1B Complex (OC-ALC)
28th BW/OG 34th BS Ellsworth AFB, SD B-1B EL 76th AMXG 565th AMXS Tinker AFB, OK B-1B, B-52H
37th BS Ellsworth AFB, SD B-1B Twenty-Second Air Force (22AF) Dobbins ARB, GA
509th BW/OG 13th BS Whiteman AFB, MO B-2A WM Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) Robins AFB, GA
393rd BS Whiteman AFB, MO B-2A Units

394th CTS (FTU) Whiteman AFB, MO T-38A 413th FLTG Robins AFB, GA
(Note 3) 10th FLTS (Note 6) Tinker AFB, OK (B-1B, B-52H)
Notes: 1. Utilises aircraft borrowed from host 412th TW/OG. 2. Associate squadron operates alongside the 93rd BS in the FTU role. 3. Unit utilises
325th/393rd BS B-2As for training. 4. Wing operates B-2A as an associate to the 509th BW. 5. Wing operates B-1B as an associate to the 28th BW. 6. Flight
test crews assigned to conduct functional check flights of modified and overhauled aircraft.
Abbreviations: AAF: Army Air Field. AATC: ANG/AFRC Test Center. AB: Air Base. ACA: Aerospace Control Alert. ACC: Air Combat Command. ADS: Air
Demonstration Squadron. AETC: Air Education and Training Command. AFB: Air Force Base. AFNORTH: Air Forces North. AFMC: Air Force Materiel Command.
AFRC: Air Force Reserve Command. AFTC: Air Force Test Center. AGRS: Aggressor Squadron. ANG: Air National Guard. ANGB: Air National Guard Base. ANGS:
Air National Guard Station. AP: Airport. ARB: Air Reserve Base. ARS: Air Reserve Station. AS: Air Station. ATG: Adversary Tactics Group. AWC: Air Warfare Center.
Det.: Detachment. FG: Fighter Group. FS: Fighter Squadron. FW/OG: Fighter Wing. (FTU): Formal Training Unit. IAP: IAP. JARS: Joint Air Reserve Station. JB: Joint
Base. JNGS: Joint National Guard Station. JRB: Joint Reserve Base. MAP: Municipal Airport. NAF: Naval Air Facility. NAS: Naval Air Station. OG: Operations Group.
PACAF: Pacific Air Forces. RAF: Royal Air Force. RAP: Regional Airport. TDY: Temporary Duty. TEG Test & Evaluation Group. TES: Test & Evaluation Squadron.
TPS: Test Pilot School. TW: Test Wing. USAF: United States Air Force. USAFE: United States Air Forces Europe. USAFWC: USAF Weapons Center. USAFWS: USAF
Weapons School. USCENTCOM: US Central Command. USEUCOM: US European Command. USPACOM: US Pacific Command. USSOUTHCOM: US Southern
Command. USSPACECOM: US Space Command. USSTRATCOM: US Strategic Command. WEG: Weapons Evaluation Group. WPS: Weapons Squadron
considering options that include modification
of the existing fleet, a sole-source award for
a new aircraft, or an open competition for a
new platform. It plans to award a contract
during FY2017 and the new helicopters
will reportedly enter service by 2019.

Talons
Tasked as the B-2A FTU, the 509th BWs 394th
Combat Training Squadron is responsible
for 14 Northrop T-38A Talons that serve as
companion trainers. The Talons enable
B-2 pilots to maintain their qualifications
and basic flying proficiency, airmanship
and real-time decision-making skills at low
cost when compared with the bombers.
First fielded in 1961, the T-38A has previously
been used as a companion trainer for B-1B
and B-52H crews under SACs Accelerated
Copilot Enrichment (ACE) programme and later Above: A USAF security patrol arrives back at their home base aboard a UH-1N. The helicopters operate over
ACCs Companion Trainer Program (CTP). AFGSCs ICBM missile fields located in Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota and Wyoming. Tom Kaminski

www.airforcesdaily.com AIR FORCE GLOBAL STRIKE COMMAND 13

GLOBAL STRIKE AMERICA'S NUCLEAR BOMBER FORCE

Continuous Bomber Presence

Bomber deployments to Andersen began in
2003 and the USAF has provided PACOM
with a Continuous Bomber Presence (CBP)
since March 2004. The CBP is a component
of the USAFs strategic deterrence mission
and contributes to security and stability in
PACOMs area of responsibility (AOR).
The rotational deployments typically last
six months and involve six B-52Hs and 300
personnel, under the operational control of
the Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) and the 36th
Wings 36th Expeditionary Operations Group
at Andersen. Responsibility for the CBP
alternates between the 2nd and 5th BWs.
According to AFGSCs director of operations,
the CBP helps maintain stability and security
in the western Pacific, while allowing our units to
become familiar with operating in the Pacific the-
atre and out of a deployed location. It also pro-
vides unique training opportunities for the bomb-
er crews when they integrate into PACOM joint
or coalition exercises, operations and training.
The deterrent value was demonstrated in
March 2013 when B-52s flew training missions
over South Korea and delivered conventional
weapons on the Pil-sung Range near Osan
Air Base. Conducted as part of Exercise Foal
Eagle 2013, the missions simulated strikes on
North Korea and demonstrated the USs com-

Above: An unarmed AGM-66B Air-Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM) is released from a B-52H over the Utah
Test and Training range during a Nuclear Weapons System Evaluation Program sortie. The launch was part
of an end-to-end operational evaluation of the Eighth Air Force and Task Force 204s ability to pull an ALCM
from storage, load it aboard an aircraft and execute a simulated combat mission successfully. USAF
Right: As the sun sets over Ellsworth AFB, maintenance personnel prepare a B-1 for its next mission. With
an estimated cost of US$57,807 per flight hour, the USAF is keen to maintain the airframes in Code One
condition. Some of the Lancers are more than 32 years old. Jim Hazy Haseltine
Below: With its landing gear beginning to cycle up into the undercarriage bays, B-52H 61-0019 from the
96th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron departs Andersen AFB, Guam, for the long flight home to Barksdale
AFB, Louisiana, after a six-month deployment to the Pacific island. The Continuous Bomber Presence in the
region will quickly see new crews and bombers filling the gap. Jim Hazy Haseltine

14 AIR FORCE GLOBAL STRIKE COMMAND www.airforcesmonthly.com

Above: Airmen from the 509th Maintenance Squadron work on a B-2 bomber during a deployment to Andersen AFB, Guam, in August 2014. To support the three
B-2s more than 200 personnel deployed from Whiteman AFB to ensure bombers were combat ready while in theatre. USAF
Left: A KC-135 refuels a B-2 Spirit over the Pacific Ocean on November 20, 2014. Three B-2s deployed to Andersen AFB, Guam, to support the US Pacific
Commands Continuous Bomber Presence in the region. The bombers conducted theatre security package operations in the area, but the AFGSC has no plans to
include B-2s into the CBP rotation. USAF
mitment to defend its ally amid rising tensions deployment occurred in 2014 when three review the feasibility of, and requirement for,
with the communists over the development bombers arrived at Andersen. Although it establishing a permanent bomber presence
of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles. regularly supports PACOM exercises in the on Guam. The findings of this review could
More recently, on January 10, 2016, a AOR, AFGSC currently has no plans to integrate result in further expansion of the CBP or
B-52H assigned to the 23rd EBS conducted the Spirit, or B-1B, into the CBP rotation. permanent basing for bombers in the Pacific.
a low-level flight over South Korea as a show Nonetheless, AFGSC recently established a The US recently reached a general agreement
of force after North Korea detonated a permanent party presence at Andersen that with Australia on a force posture initiative that
nuclear weapon in an underground test. includes 34 operations and maintenance will include the rotation of bomber and tanker
The B-1B and B-2A have conducted only personnel; a stipulation in the National aircraft through RAAF Tindal, in Australias
limited deployments to Andersen since the Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for FY2016 Northern Territory. No details regarding the
CBP mission began. The Spirits most recent requires the Secretary of the Air Force to types or timeline have been made available.

Nuclear Weapons
Since the retirement of the AGM-129 Advanced
Cruise Missile (ACM) in 2012, the AGM-86B
has been the USAFs only nuclear-capable
cruise missile; around 560 remain in service.
Equipped with a variable-yield (5-150kts)
W80 thermonuclear warhead, the ALCM is
expected to remain operational through 2030.
The LRSO missile will replace ALCM as an inte-
gral part of the stand-off nuclear deterrent capabil-
ity and will provide a credible deterrent with the
ability to strike at targets from beyond contested
airspace in A2/AD environments. The missile will
be compatible with the B-52H, B-2A and LRS-B. A
conventional version of the missile is also planned.
The current inventory of around 475 gravity
nuclear weapons includes the B83 and five
variants of the B61. The 2,400lb B83, which
can be carried by the B-52H and the B-2A, has a
maximum yield of 1.2Mt and is the most power-
ful free-fall nuclear weapon in the US arsenal.
The 700lb B61 is a variable-yield (0.3 to 340kt)
thermonuclear bomb. The current stockpile of
B61-3, -4, -7 and -10 weapons will be consoli-
dated into a single configuration under the B61-
12 LEP. The revised weapon will be capable of
operating in analog/ballistic and digital/guided
modes. Its guidance system, which includes a
Tail Kit Assembly (TKA) developed by Boeing
under a contract with the Air Force Nuclear
Weapons Center, will greatly improve accuracy.
The B61-12 LEP has entered the engineering
and manufacturing development phase and
the last of three development test flights took
place over the Tonopah Test Range around
130 miles (209km) northwest of Las Vegas,
Nevada, in October 2015. It will become the
primary tactical nuclear weapon for US and
NATO aircraft when it enters service in 2019.
It will not replace the 1,200lb penetrating
B61-11 bunker-busting variant, however,
afm
which is primarily carried by the B-2A.

www.airforcesdaily.com AIR FORCE GLOBAL STRIKE COMMAND 15