B-52 still a force to be reckoned with

  • Published
  • By Senior Master Sgt. Rick Burnham
  • Air Force Print News
WASHINGTON --  More than 50 years after the first B-52 bomber rolled off a Boeing assembly line, the Stratofortress is still making believers out of those who would oppose the United States.

The latest convert? Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

The B-52H has topped 100 missions flown in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, ranging from strategic attack to close-air support, and often times flown by aircrews who were still in diapers when Hussein strong-armed his way into middle eastern power in 1979.

Capt. John, along with Capts. Joe and Ray, 2nd Lt. Ryan and Maj. Ed, combined to fly the 100th B-52 mission of OIF April 10, pounding regime fortifications in undisclosed areas north of Baghdad. The aircrew conducted an interview with Pentagon reporters via telephone April 14. They asked that their full names not be used.

John, aircraft commander of the crew, said the conditions in Iraq are fluid and call for flexibility on the part of the aircraft and its crew.

"Targets can be communicated from command nodes as well as coalition ground forces, and can be attacked using any of a variety of weapon systems, ranging from precision-guided munitions to 'dumb bombs,'" he said. "Targets run the gamut, from fixed facilities to enemy ground troops."

Those missions involving coalition ground troops who are in dire need of support are among the most satisfying, said Ed, a B-52H electronic warfare officer.

"We will have some guy on the ground saying, 'I am being shot at.' And by the time we get done, he is saying, 'I am not being shot at,'" the major said. "That is really a rewarding experience to know that I directly helped somebody and probably saved his life."

Joe, who served as co-pilot on the historic flight, said the aircraft's immense communications systems enhance the plane's CAS capability.

"Because we have so many radios on board, we are always in communication with someone," he said. "We are often able to talk with the guys on the ground, and they tell us exactly where they need our munitions. So we can roll in and put our bombs exactly where they need (them) so that they are not threatened any more."

Raymond, a B-52H radar navigator, said the duration of such missions makes them even more rewarding. Typical B-52H flights originate at a deployed site outside the Gulf region, and take as many as 17 hours to complete. Briefings before and after each flight can stretch the mission to as many as 24 hours, he said.

"The most satisfying thing is taking off, flying as far as we do, getting to the area, and being able to make life somewhat easier for the guys on the ground," he said. "It is a real satisfying mission overall."

Those missions cannot happen without a tremendous level of support from a variety of different sources, John said.

"There are hundreds and hundreds of people who support each mission," he said. "When we take off, we feel all of their support, and take all of those efforts and turn them into successful results -- in this case, changing a dictatorial regime and freeing the Iraqi people."

Ryan, the youngest of the group, agreed, giving specific credit to the maintainers and munitions specialists who prep the jets before each mission.

"Our crew chiefs are extremely talented," he said. "They and the munitions people make it easy for us to hop in the jets and put the bombs on target, and then get home safe."

Each crewmember also gave credit to the people who have contributed to the upgrade of the B-52 over the years since it first took to the skies in 1951. In short, this is not your grandpa's B-52, Ed said.

"It may be over 50 years old, but it has gone through extensive modifications and upgrades over the years," he said. "So, it is not the same airplane that came off the assembly line in the early '60s. It continues to hold its own, and it does a fine job."