A B-52H Stratofortress assigned to the 20th Bomb Squadron, Barksdale Air Force Base, La., flies over Nevada during a Red Flag exercise at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., Jan. 31, 2013. The B-52 was America's first long-range, swept-wing heavy bomber. Now entering its sixth decade of service, it continues to be an integral element of the Air Force bomber fleet. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Vernon Young Jr.)
A B-52H Stratofortress assigned to the 20th Bomb Squadron, Barksdale Air Force Base, La., flies toward an objective during a Red Flag exercise at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., Jan. 31, 2013. The B-52 was America's first long-range, swept-wing heavy bomber. The B-52 has a 185-foot wingspan, a length of more than 160 feet and a gross weight of more than 480,000 pounds. It has been given the nickname BUFF, short for Big Ugly Fat Fellow. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Vernon Young Jr.)
A B-52H Stratofortress assigned to the 20th Bomb Squadron, Barksdale Air Force Base, La., taxies the runway during a Red Flag exercise at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., Jan. 31, 2013. The B-52 has been actively flying military missions since 1962. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Vernon Young Jr.)
Maj. Raymond Dagley, 20th Bomb Squadron B-52H Stratofortress pilot, Barksdale Air Force Base, La., flies a B-52 along with co-pilot 1st Lt. Dan Eckelbe during a Red Flag exercise at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., Jan. 31, 2013. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Vernon Young Jr.)
Air Force 1st Lts. Joshua King, B-52 Stratofortress electronic warfare operator, and Christopher Shuler, B-52 navigator, both with the 20th Bomb Squadron, discuss their flight during a Red Flag exercise at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., Jan. 31, 2013. Their squadron hails from Barksdale Air Force Base, La. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Vernon Young Jr.)
Senior Airman John Myer, 2nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, B-52 aircraft maintainer, Barksdale Air Force Base, La., pushes a tow bar under a B-52H Stratofortress tire during a Red Flag exercise, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., Jan. 2013. The B-52 shredded a tire upon landing after a four-hour mission. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Vernon Young Jr.)