96th Bomb Squadron prepares for Global Strike Challenge

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Chad Warren
  • 2d Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  The 96th Bomb Squadron just finished two intensive training exercises over the past two weeks. Training exercises are a common occurrence to ensure Airmen are trained and ready, but these exercises had an additional purpose as well; to select the best Airmen to compete in Air Force Global Strike Command's first ever Global Strike Challenge. The Global Strike Challenge is a competition between all of the wings under AFGSC and encompasses all aspects of the bomber mission, from aircraft maintenance to accurate employment of weapons.

The exercises were used as an inter-squadron competition to determine who will represent the 96th BS in the challenge, which is taking place all this month.

"We have been incorporating our competition into various exercises in which we have been employing both inert and actual weapons," said Capt. Michael Stepan, 96th BS electronic warfare officer. "These exercises include Combat Hammer and Surge week."

The flight crew chosen to compete is handpicked by squadron leadership based on recommendations from the weapons and tactics shop, as well as a general knowledge test that is administered to all potential crewmembers.

"These recommendations are based off of evaluations that assess a crewmember's ability to control timing, ground speed, and other factors that affect accuracy of weapon employment in a combat environment," said Captain Stepan.

These exercises provide Airmen with a chance to practice a wide array of B-52 combat capabilities.

"It gives us the opportunity to hone our conventional combat skills after months of focusing on nuke procedures for the recent inspection," said Captain Stepan. "This type of competition also increases camaraderie and is part of our esteemed history."

Barksdale Airmen underwent a nuclear operational readiness inspection in June, proving they are capable to employ nuclear arms if called upon. For several months leading up to the NORI, Barksdale Airmen were primarily focused on nuclear capabilities. In contrast, the Global Strike Challenge will focus on the wing's ability to employ conventional weapons.

The 20th and the 96th will each send one crew to represent the 2d Bomb Wing in the flight portion of the challenge, which will take place over the Yukon range in Alaska Aug. 24-26. Each crew will participate in a sortie lasting approximately 15 hours that will test their ability to accurately and effectively put bombs on target.

The results of the Global Strike Challenge will be announced during the symposium that will be held here in November.