Bombers rotations continue on Guam

  • Published
HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE, Hawaii (AFPN) --  Demonstrating once again that bomber forces can be sustained in the Pacific, about 250 Airmen deployed Sept. 10 to 12 from Louisiana to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, as part of a 120-day air and space expeditionary force rotation.

The 20th Expeditionary Bomber Squadron is the third of four existing B-52 Stratotfortress bomber squadrons in the Air Force to deploy to Guam as part of U.S. Pacific Command-directed continuous bomber rotations, which began in March. The squadrons, while at Guam, are part of the 36th Expeditionary Operations Group.

Airmen from the 20th EBS replaced 96th EBS Airmen who deployed to Andersen in May. Airmen from both squadrons are from the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale AFB, La.

The outgoing 96th EBS members should be proud of their accomplishments, said Col. Eldon Woodie, 36th EOG commander.

"Despite some weather difficulties, the team produced more than 130 B-52 sorties, flew in numerous joint and coalition exercises and dropped hundreds of munitions,'' Colonel Woodie said.

The AEF deployments are intended to adjust their force posture to enhance regional security and underscore the U.S. commitment to the Western Pacific, PACOM officials said.

Locating B-52 bombers at Guam offers the PACOM commander short-notice global strike and strategic engagement capabilities that otherwise would not exist in the region, officials said. Besides bolstering security, the rotational deployment increases training opportunities that thoroughly integrate B-52 bomber operations into PACOM's joint and coalition exercises from forward bases such as Andersen.

For instance, during their deployment, 96th EBS bomber crews participated in Exercise Ulchi Focus Lens, an annual combined and joint computer simulation-driven exercise. It was designed to help American and South Korean militaries work together better and refine their procedures for emergency situations.

Guam-based B-52 crews demonstrated their ability to communicate with participants in Korea and Hawaii during the exercise.

The Airmen were working with a global communications system, said Lt Col. Bob Colella, who commanded the 96th EBS.

"We were talking with the (Pacific Air Forces) Operations Center in Hawaii, and they were giving us targeting changes in-flight," he said.

"We were demonstrating global reach and exercising our different forms of communications,'' said Capt. Erik Johnson, a B-52 pilot. "Our beyond-line-of-sight communications gave us the opportunity to change our simulated targets midmission."

Andersen AFB proved to be a good launch point for meeting the exercise’s objectives, said 1st Lt. Clint Michaelson, a B-52 electronic warfare officer. Not even Super Typhoon Chaba could slow them down, Lieutenant Michaelson said.

"The sortie we did through Chaba personified what the B-52 is -- a long-range, all-weather, old, heavy bomber that can still get the job done," he said.

The 20th EBS Airmen will get their chance to demonstrate global reach and global power from Guam in training opportunities during their 120-day deployment, officials said.

B-52 crews from Guam are expected to be at the center of the PACAF-sponsored Resultant Fury demonstration in November, training on maritime interdiction capabilities where B-52 bombers distinguish between multiple maritime targets and engage them in all weather conditions. (Courtesy of PACAF News Service)