The following images were taken by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Jonathan Snyder during a Green Flag – East (GF-E) training mission flown by a Barksdale Air Force Base’s 20th Bomb Squadron B-52 Stratofortress strategic bomber.
GF-E is a realistic air-land integration combat training exercise meant to replicate deployed warfare conditions.
B-52s are among the assets that could take part in an eventual U.S. air strike on Syria operating from both overseas airbases (as RAF Fairford in the UK, or Diego Garcia in Indian Ocean) and their homebase in the CONUS (Continental U.S.), during round trip Global Strike missions.
The 60 years old bombers are capable of flying at high subsonic speeds at altitudes up to 50,000 feet carrying a variety of weapons including nuclear and precision guided conventional ordnance with worldwide precision navigation capability.
Capt. Matthew Gray assigned to the 20th Bomb Squadron, flies a B-52H Stratofortress during a Green Flag-East training mission, Aug. 21, 2013, Fork Polk, La.
Capt. Greg Lepper, 96th Bomb Squadron B-52H Stratofortress navigator, checks the instruments while flying in Green Flag-East over Fort Polk, La., Aug. 21, 2013.
Maj. Chris Weir, B-52 Stratofortress navigator, 96th Bomb Squadron, checks the instruments while participating in Green Flag-East Aug. 21, 2013, Ft. Polk, La.
Maj. Chris Weir, left, and Capt. Greg Lepper, right, B-52 Stratofortress navigators, 96th Bomb Squadron, checks the instruments while participating in Green Flag-East Aug. 21, 2013, Ft. Polk, La.
First Lt. Reed Elsbernd assigned to the 20th Bomb Squadron, flies a B-52H Stratofortress during a Green Flag-East training mission Aug. 21, 2013, Ft. Polk, La.
Image credit: U.S. Air Force
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Great images! Rarely seen perspectives.
How would B-52 operate?
Syrian air force has powerful umbrella of SAMs + active air force. Even MiG-21 would be able to shut them down without first achieving total air superiority over Syria.
They will use long range air launched cruise missiles, launched far outside the range of Syrian SAMs.
Exactly. The Buff doesn’t have to be directly over the target. First strikes are to take out the elements that would be a danger in later strikes.
And that’s what the F-111 stealth fighter was for. To go in and suppress air defense radars ahead of everyone else….
I can’t tell what the CRM-114 is set to. Damn.
The guy in the left seat needs a serious helmet fitting.
A mission that is often overlooked with the B-52 is it’s role in anti-shipping. Yes – they coordinate with the U.S. Navy in destroying large hostile enemy surface combatants just like the TU-95 does for Russia. And I promise you – should hostilities with a country possessing any semblance of a navy ever take place, the men and women stationed aboard U.S. aircraft carriers and other surface/subsurface ships will be mighty glad that they could count on the over-water strike ability of the B-52. And with new stealth anti-shipping missiles now being tested to replace the Harpoon, I imagine that the good ol’ Buff will continue to play an important role in protecting the U.S. and allied navies underway in dangerous waters for a long time to come. Hats off to a very versatile, durable platform!