Team Barksdale participates in surge Published Jan. 27, 2012 By Senior Airman Kristin High 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. -- Twelve B-52H Stratofortress aircraft from Barksdale Air Force Base, La., participated in a surge mission to test the capabilities of the 96th and 20th Bomb Squadrons, Jan 25. A surge is a designated period of time in which a unit continually flies aircraft until a predetermined set of objectives are met. "A surge basically increases how many sorties we fly," said Senior Master Sgt. David Bennett, 2nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron assistant superintendent. "It's a way to push our capabilities similar to what we would actually do in combat." Things don't always go as planned with the mission. Weather, for example, is uncontrollable. During the recent surge, Barksdale experienced a severe thunderstorm causing one B-52 to divert to Tinker Air Force Base, Okla. The other two B-52s didn't get to leave the Barksdale flightline. "Surges are similar to Conventional Operational Readiness Exercises," said Master Sgt. Michael Pierce, 2 AMXS assistant superintendent. "They are conducted to measure our ability to survive and operate in an emergency situation." Several agencies are involved with a surge to help provide planning, preparation, support, maintenance and pilots to make the surge a success. "For a surge to occur successfully, aircrews prepare frontline sorties to fly in the morning, and they land in the afternoon for maintenance. Crews will conduct a quick turn around on maintenance and relaunch the planes in a 4-to-5 hour window," Bennett said. Sortie surges can aid in managing the FHP and test maximum production capability. Surge operations may increase chances for success in achieving the monthly quota. Sortie surges need coordination with the maintenance squadron, logistics readiness squadron, and the operations squadron. "Overall, it can be physically and mentally challenging, but it builds camaraderie and solidarity among the crews," Pierce said.