News>2 BW hosts delegates, fosters international partnership
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Maj. Gen. Everett Thomas, Air Force Global Strike Command vice commander, greets Gen. Lt. Anatoliy Dmitriyevick Zhikharyev, Russian Long Range Aviation and Delegation commander, outside the Eubank Conference Center on Barksdale Air Force Base, La., July 12. Zhikharyev and members of his staff visited various units on Barksdale as part of a site survey for a bomber exchange program. Ultimately, the Russian Air Force will send a bomber to Barksdale, and the 2nd Bomb wing will send a B-52H Stratofortress to Russia, enabling the two nations to share information about their operational capabilities. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Sean Martin)(RELEASED)
Gen. Lt. Anatoliy Dmitriyevick Zhikharyev, Russian Long Range Aviation and Delegation commander, and Maj. Gen. Everett Thomas, Air Force Global Strike Command vice commander, have an office call on Barksdale Air Force Base, La., July 12. This was the first visit to Barksdale for Zhikharyev, who visited the base as part of a Russian Air Force delegation for a new bomber exchange program. As part of the visit, Russian Airmen received an up-close view of the B-52H Stratofortress bomber, a briefing about the mission and a visit with Air Force Global Strike Command leaders. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Sean Martin)(RELEASED)
Members of Team Barksdale speak with Gen. Lt. Anatoliy Dmitriyevick Zhikharyev, Russian Long Range Aviation and Delegation commander, inside the control tower on Barksdale Air Force Base, La., July 11. Zhikharyev and members of his staff visited various units on Barksdale as part of a site survey. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Benjamin Gonsier)(RELEASED)
Gen. Lt. Anatoliy Dmitriyevick Zhikharyev, Russian Long Range Aviation and Delegation commander, speaks with Maj. Gen. Stephen Wilson, 8th Air Force commander, on Barksdale Air Force Base, La., July 11. Zhikharyez and Wilson spoke about key issues, and differences and similarities between their respective commands. The Air Force Global Strike Command will send a few of their own command staff to Russia to conduct a similar site survey of a Russian Air Force facility. By doing so, both militaries will have a general understanding of their counterpart's operational capabilities. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Benjamin Gonsier)(RELEASED)
7/17/2012 - BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. -- The 2nd Bomb Wing hosted a delegation of Russian Airmen July 11-12 during a site visit to Barksdale Air Force Base, La.
The delegation visited the base as part of a bomber exchange program between the United States and Russia.
As part of the visit, the Russian Airmen received an up-close view of the B-52H Stratofortress bomber, a briefing about the mission and a visit with Air Force Global Strike Command leaders.
The team was escorted by Lt. Col. Michael Thompson, the 2 BW director of staff.
One advantage of sharing mission visits with partner nations is the opportunity to highlight similarities between the two countries, according to base officials.
Zhikharev graduated from the Tambov Higher Military Aviation School and has held all command positions from aide to an aircraft commander to chief of staff/first deputy commander of the 37th Air Army. He is also a graduate of the Yu.A. Gagarin Military Aviation Academy and of courses of the Military Academy of the Russian Federation Armed Forces' General Staff. In 2000 he was appointed commander of the Guards Donbass Red Banner Heavy Bomber Aviation Division, which a year later was named the best formation in the Air Force.
Zhikharev is qualified on eight types of airplanes, from the L-39 trainer to the Il-78 tanker, and has more than 3,000 flight hours.
In the near future, Thompson will be traveling to Russia as part of a U.S. Air Force delegation to conduct a similar site survey. Ultimately, as part of the program, the 2 BW will send a B-52 to Russia, and Russia will send a comparable bomber to Barksdale. This is part of ongoing efforts on the part of both countries to help each other understand its counterpart's operational capabilities.
