USAF B-52s Going Home - RAF Fairford 5th April 2019

Three United States Air Force Boeing B-52H Stratofortress aircraft departed from their temporary forward operating base at RAF Fairford, United Kingdom, on 5th April 2019 at the conclusion of a deployment that began for the B-52s with their arrival at RAF Fairford from their home at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana USA. The aircraft are part of the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base.

The B-52s seen here are:-
B-52H, Callsign Prose 51, 60-0025 'LA' "Ol' Crow Express II", USAF 20th BS "Buccaneers" 2nd BW, Barksdale AFB.
B-52H, Callsign Prose 52, 60-0032 ‘LA’, USAF 96th BS “The Devil’s Own” 2nd BW, Barksdale AFB
B-52H, Callsign Prose 53, 61-0013 'LA' "High Tension III", USAF 20th BS "Buccaneers" 2nd BW, Barksdale AFB.

During the deployment there were more than 400 Airmen and six Boeing B-52H Stratofortress aircraft at RAF Fairford between 14th March and 6th April 2019, in support of U.S. Strategic Command’s Bomber Task Force in Europe. RAF Fairford acts as the United States Air Forces in Europe’s forward operating location for bombers.

Whilst operating from RAF Fairford the B-52 Stratofortress aircraft conducted flights to the following areas:-
18th March - Baltic Sea are and Romania.
20th March - North Sea, Heligoland in Germany, Poland and Lithuania and within the UK over the Holbeach Range.
21st March - Baltic Sea area.
22nd March - Baltic Sea and Estonia.
25th March - Baltic Sea area.
26th March - Iceland to conduct training with Italian air force Typhoon fighter jets supporting the NATO Icelandic Air Surveillance mission.
As Iceland does not have its own national air force, NATO provides rotational air defense in order to meet Iceland’s national security needs.
While in Iceland, the B-52s conducted training involving simulated surface-to-air strikes.
28th March - Five U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortresses conducted training flights over international waters in the vicinity of the Norwegian Sea.
During the flights, B-52s conducted training with Norwegian F-16 fighter jets. Training with NATO allies like Norway enhances the capabilities and readiness of the alliance.
March 29, 2019 - Iceland and the Netherlands as well as the Tain range in the UK.
1st April - Poland and the Netherlands - in Poland, a B-52 conducted air interdiction and close air support training, including release of inert munitions, with Polish (JTAC) Joint Terminal Attack Controllers on the ground. In the Netherlands, B-52s conducted close air support training, including release of inert munitions, at the Vliehors Range.

JTACs are military personnel – usually air force – attached to a ground unit that direct the fire of combat aircraft providing close air support. Seamless interoperability between aircrew and JTACS is a key aspect of coordinating joint military operations.

The flights also allowed aircrews to conduct theater familiarization and to demonstrate U.S. commitment to allies and partners through the global employment of US military forces. U.S. Strategic Command regularly tests and evaluates the readiness of strategic assets to ensure they are able to honour their security and NATO commitments.

2nd April - To Morocco for exercise 'African Lion'.
3rd April - Romania to conduct close air support training at the Cincu Range with Romanian Joint Terminal Attack Controllers. Also to Morocco to participate in the annual African Lion training exercise. African Lion is hosted by Morocco and Tunisia and led by U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa. The purpose of the exercise is to enhance interoperability and mutual understanding of each nations’ tactics, techniques and procedures.

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