Category: US Strategic Command

Source: United States Strategic Command

BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La.  –  

Airmen from the 2nd and 5th Bomb Wings trained together while evaluating response and combat operation skills during exercise Bayou Vigilance April 3-12, 2024 at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana.

“The mission we demonstrated is not just a 2nd Bomb Wing mission,” said Colonel Michael Maginness, 2nd Bomb Wing Commander. “It is a national mission that we have the honor of executing on behalf of the United States, our Allies, and partners.”

During these exercises Airmen prioritize a high state of readiness, the efficiency and proficiency to solidify the always-ready, global strike capability. As routine training missions, the Vigilance series exercises have an important role in ensuring the safety, security, and dependability of the bomber leg of the U.S. nuclear triad.

“This exercise demonstrated the 2nd Bomb Wing’s ability to rapidly mobilize airpower, stand up nuclear security operations when called upon, and execute the alert mission for an extended period of time,” said Maginness. “With every rep, the Wing is laying the groundwork for future capabilities. The decisions and culture our Airmen put in place now are the cornerstone of Barksdale’s future.”

This iteration of Bayou Vigilance focused on the Air Force’s strategic-air capabilities to prepare Airmen to respond quickly and execute critical missions. Airmen from maintainers and security forces to aircrews tested their safe, yet, rapid response capabilities.

The training not only prepared the wing to stand alert, if needed, to deter or respond to an attack, but also demonstrated the wing’s ability to extend formidable combat force worldwide.

This was the first iteration of the 2024 series of training exercises.

The Bayou Vigilance exercises are scheduled joint training events that take place numerous times throughout each year. They are not planned around or conducted in response to any specific geopolitical conditions or situations.

Source: United States Strategic Command

MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D.  –  

Source: United States Strategic Command

RICHMOND, Va.  –  

To improve communication among Defense Logistics Agency Aviation and some of its Air Force customers, the B-2 Weapon System Program Manager from the Customer Operations Directorate hosted a two-day product support summit March 12-13 at Defense Supply Center Richmond.

The gathering – the first of its kind in at least 20 years for the platform – showed the Air Force customers the support DLA provides, said Keith H. McEachern, B-2 Weapon System Program Manager.

“I facilitated this collective event with the customer to develop cohesion and promote team building with the B-2 customer by offering robust insight into the complete DLA Aviation operations,” he said. “We also showed how DLA Aviation supports the B-2 customer in receiving their most critical weapons system material for their critical mission.”

With the program constantly changing, the B-2 team at DLA felt it was time to meet in person to gain a deeper understanding of the available support.

“This was an eye-opener for our customers,” McEachern said. “Their questions were well received by the DLA parties involved, and they clearly defined the gallant efforts in which DLA will perpetually support the B-2 platform.

“The DLA team provides the most efficient supply support to the B-2, as it is one of DLA’s top priorities is to ensure their supportability is met, enabling the customer to meet their operational and wartime requirements,” he continued. “Future DLA on-site customer engagements will allow the customer to strengthen their overall knowledge of how DLA supports the customer, and, subsequently, the customer can elaborate on required supply support they may require from the DLA enterprise.”

Air Force Lt. Col. David Hanish, the B-2 material leader and Air Vehicle and Systems Management branch chief, said he was interested in attending the summit to improve the product support picture, learn the process at DLA, and build a collaborative team to keep the B-2 operational.

“It was extremely productive,” he said. “We learned a lot about DLA this week, including people who can help us get after aircraft availability. We also got to talk about issues (in the program). We have a long way to go, but it was a really good visit.”

The summit was valuable in helping develop new solutions to the issues facing available supplies, said Ricky Ingram, B-2 System Program Office Products Support integrator contractor support, Air Force Materiel Command.

“Some may say we have a ‘product supply chain,’ and I like to say we have a ‘product support supply web,’ and one person in the entire multiorganization mission of moving material management to aircraft availability to executing the mission can make or break the day,” he said. “Every day counts in the procurement lead time life cycle of secondary spares, material management and a variety of product support.

“This [event] is a way we best execute the mission – it’s relationship-based,” Ingram continued. “’How can we help each other?’ This goes back to our Secretary of the Air Force memo in September [2024] – ‘One Team, One Fight’ – to move the ball. Within these two days, new solutions were identified that previously weren’t before. That’s what we were missing, as we have a complex web of shared providers across the U.S.”

One joint take-away was that the summit was valuable to help all parties understand each other.

“I’m not a maintainer,” Hanish said. “I’m an acquisition guy, but we do represent the maintainer and, kind of, the voice of organizations like the Defense Logistics Agency. Other program officers should take the same opportunity.

“In fact, we had [Air Force] Global Strike [Command] representation here – our customer – say, ‘I wish every weapon system would do this,’ what we did over the last few days,” he continued. “There’d be a lot more transparency across the board, and we often forget that we’re ‘One Team, One Fight.’ It’s a lot of finger-pointing and trying to argue or just place blame on one organization or another when we all want to get behind the boulder and push it in the right direction. So, I think that one of my biggest insights is coming out here, meeting the team and realizing that everybody’s trying to do a really good job.”

Ingram echoed his sentiment and said the event helped him realize how much DLA supports the warfighter.

“As a prior maintainer, enlisted, as a prior officer, aircrew, I was that person on the flight line,” he said. “Meaning the part deliveries, I was that aircrew member under another Using Command and Platform in deployed locations needing part deliveries…. In other words, remove the location Afghanistan and Iraq and substitute deployed location with context of another platform, another time in DoD support.”

Due to the summit’s success, the stakeholders plan to hold it twice a year.

 

Source: United States Strategic Command

ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam — As Pacific Air Forces made history last November by using an Omega KDC-10 to refuel fighter aircraft in the Pacific for the first time, the command has now taken this milestone to new heights, reoptimizing to meet the strategic challenges in a time of great power competition.

Within the PACAF area of responsibility, an Omega KDC-10 refueled a B-52 Stratofortress assigned to the 49th Test and Evaluation Squadron, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, and an MC-130J assigned to the 1st Special Operations Squadron, Kadena Air Base, Japan over the Pacific Ocean, making it the first commercial aircraft to refuel both aircraft, March 10.

“These types of missions significantly advance Total Force power projection capabilities and exponentially increase readiness,” said Col. Jon Baize, Chief of Contingency Operations at Headquarters PACAF. “With commercial air refueling in theater, wings and warfighters saw immediate return on investment, getting training and unique opportunities they otherwise couldn’t get in this AOR due to demand signal for tankers outpacing supply. By having an on-demand, flexible, highly mission-capable tanker available, PACAF is able to open the aperture for global mobility.”

Baize and Lt. Col. Shannon Vinson, Chief of Mobility Operations worked with Air Combat Command, Air Force Special Operations Command, Air Force Global Strike Command, Air Force Materiel Command, and the U.S. Navy Program Management Activity (PMA) 226 in support of this historic milestone.  They championed the project as an opportunity to pursue innovative ways to accelerate change and support warfighters.

“To compete and win, the joint force needs resilient and diverse ability to get the warfighters where they need to be when they need to be there,” said Lt. Col. Matthew Spinelli,  49th Test and Evaluation Squadron commander, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. “Having an additional means and capacity depth in our air refueling and logistical movements is critical to success. Long range bombers now have additional means to get into and out of theater rapidly and ultimately offers the joint force more presence, firepower, and mass of force a higher consistency.  Commercial Air is a must for U.S. Indo-Pacific Command operations given the nature of the theater.”

Working in concert with U.S. Transportation Command and U.S. Naval Air Systems Command, PACAF warfighters engaged with the Air Refueling Certification Agency at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base to get Technical Compatibility Assessments expeditiously approved for the A-10, B-52, C-17, and MC-130J to interfly with Omega KDC-10. 

“Air refueling mission success enhances our warfighting advantage by breaking down service barriers, working seamlessly across domains with stakeholders around the world including joint, interagency, special operations, and Allies and partners,” Vinson said. “There’s no limit to what we can do as a unified fighting force aligned with our leadership’s vision of accelerating change.”

This event solidifies how the U.S. Air Force continually evolves and sharpens capabilities through innovation. It also exemplifies how bomber missions contribute to joint force lethality and deter aggression in the Indo-Pacific by demonstrating the U.S. Air Force’s ability to operate anywhere in the world at any time in support of the National Defense Strategy.

“To achieve U.S. national security objectives, the Total Force needs the capability to use all tools in the tool kit,” said Vinson. “By PACAF leadership pioneering a path for efficiently and effectively utilizing commercial air refueling, it’s clear the sky is no longer the limit.”

The KDC-10 transited from Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam completing four successful, safe contacts with the B-52 and MC-130J. Leveraging the capability of commercial air-to-air refueling allows the U.S. Air Force to increase warfighter readiness in the priority theater and around the globe.

“Depth and resiliency of capability is how we enable and continue the fight to meet our objectives,” Spinelli said. “In the theater known for its ‘tyranny of distance’ the needed sustainment of airborne assets is critical in lens of competition as much as it is in conflict.”

Moreover, the ability to utilize commercial tankers is just one of many examples of how U.S. forces can challenge the status quo to fly, sail and operate anywhere international law allows, at the time and tempo of their choosing. Similar to the U.S. Air Force’s KC-135 Stratotanker and KC-46 Pegasus, the KDC-10 utilizes a boom operating system and can carry 29,000 gallons of fuel, and 41,000 gallons of fuel with an additional fuselage tank.

“Aerial refueling is the lifeline of military operations in the Pacific due to the tyranny of distance between suitable airfields,” said Lt. Col. Reagan Mullin, 1st Special Operations Squadron director of operations, Kadena Air Base, Japan. “The Omega commercial refueling platform offers military aircrew operating in the Pacific with another option to train and obtain mission support when tanker demand exceeds existing military capacity. We can’t wait to work with Omega again!”

With the capability of delivering 400-900 gallons a minute, the KDC-10s flexibility enables B-52s to continue to actively train during operations and exercises while integrating alongside Allies and partners throughout the region. Bomber Task Force missions actively enable strategic bombers to operate with greater operational resilience from various overseas and continental U.S. locations, .

“PACAF leadership saw a challenge, put trust in us as Airmen to research and find solutions, then empowered us by providing innovative tools to successfully execute,” Vinson said. “Working on this project, I was truly inspired encountering the can-do attitudes, bravery, and perpetual optimism present in so many of our Total Force warfighters. I would fight alongside any of the teammates involved with commercial aerial refueling in future.”

Source: United States Strategic Command

MORóN AIR BASE, Spain  –  

The 9th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, arrived at Morón Air Base, Spain, recently for Bomber Task Force 24-2.

BTF 24-2 is the first time the B-1B Lancer has deployed to Morón AB as part of a BTF showcasing the Air Force’s ability to deploy to any place around the world at a moment’s notice and the B-1’s capability to respond to any potential crisis or challenge across the globe.

“This BTF is unique because this is the first time the B-1s have ever been on a BTF to Morón,” said Lt. Col. Ryan Stillwell, 9th EBS commander. “That is important to us because Morón is a strategic location for U.S. forces, and it’s also a special demonstration that the B-1 and our bomber fleet in the U.S. remains flexible and agile. We don’t want to send the message that we are locked into certain bases and capabilities. We can go various places around the world at a time and place of our choosing and this BTF is demonstrating just that.”

U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Pacific Air Forces frequently host BTFs throughout the year utilizing the B-1B, B-52H Stratofortress and B-2 Spirit. Operating bomber aircraft from across Air Force Global Strike Command supports U.S. and NATO global deterrence operations while maintaining a ready and postured force.

“Ensuring global deterrence is critical especially at a time of heightened security tensons across the world,” said Stillwell. “It’s important to deter that from escalating into further conflict and it’s imperative to demonstrate in a message that the allies and partners of the U.S. are stronger together, we are united and we will ensure small security concerns don’t become bigger security problems.”

The 7th Bomb Wing directly backs global deterrence by maintaining a combat capable and credible B-1 fleet certifying the B-1 as the backbone of America’s long-range bomber force.

“The 7th BW and 9th Bomb Squadron, the 9th EBS while we are deployed, contribute to global deterrence through global strike and the capability the B-1 brings to that fight,” said Stillwell. “We demonstrate a fight tonight and always ready expertise with combat capability and credibility being the 7th BW’s top priority at all times.”

BTF 24-2 will further build partnerships with U.S. allies while providing U.S. and NATO leaders with strategic knowledge of potential adversarial threats across Europe and around the world.

“The 9th EBS is a diverse group in itself with components from the Air Force Reserves as well as the Army and other units from across Dyess Air Force Base and the Air Force,” said Stillwell. “Even integrating amongst ourselves is a challenge that we certainly meet, but really, we can’t do anything on a BTF without the support of our host nation, our allies and partners and anyone we integrate with. As the Air Force has gotten more spread out and diverse in different specialties and requirements, it’s still important that we train together, practice together and integrate together for different things like exercises and other operations.”

It takes a village to execute any effective mission in the military and the 9th EBS is no exception to that. With more than 40 career fields across the Air Force and Army, and support from allies and partners across Europe, the personnel of BTF 24-2 are ready to dominate in global deterrence at any time, anywhere.

“To complete a successful BTF, it takes a lot of work in the months leading up to it as well as while we are deployed here and then even afterwards to reflect on what we do,” said Stillwell. “We ensure we have everyone we need on the team, whether that’s operations, maintenance, Public Affairs, Aircrew Flight Equipment, you name it, in the various specialties that support us. You’ll see us do various missions, with the key pieces being that we integrate with those allies and partners as well as U.S. forces here. The bottom line, though, is that we’re here to assure our allies, letting them know we will be there for them, and we’re here to deter our adversaries from taking any further actions against us or our allies.”

Source: United States Strategic Command

DIEGO GARCIA NAVAL SUPPORT FACILITY, British Indian Ocean Territory — Two B-52 Stratofortress bombers assigned to the 2nd Bomb Wing from Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, landed at Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia, Mar. 22.

This deployment aims to enhance the readiness and training necessary to respond to any potential crisis or challenge across the globe, demonstrating the credibility of our forces to address a global security environment that is more diverse and uncertain than at any other time in recent history.

“Bomber task force missions showcase our capability for rapid deployment in support of the combatant commander’s objectives,” said Maj. Joshua Dawkins, 96th Bomb Squadron director of operations. 

“Operating and training in theater enables our crews to maintain proficiency and readiness, while also demonstrating our commitment to our Allies and partners.” Maj Joshua Dawkins

Throughout this deployment, the B-52s will integrate alongside Allies and partners throughout the region to demonstrate and strengthen a shared commitment to security and stability in the Pacific region.

The direct flight from Barksdale AFB to Diego Garcia lasted approximately 30 hours and demonstrates the B-52’s strategic flexibility and global reach.

Strategically located in the heart of the Indian Ocean, Diego Garcia provides a key platform for U.S. military operations, enabling rapid response capabilities across the vast Indo-Pacific region.

The U.S. will continue to maintain a strong, credible strategic bomber force that stands at a high state of readiness and proficiency, and validates our always-ready, global strike capability.