Barksdale Airmen test capabilities during NORE

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Jerome Baysmore
  • 2d Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  Monday Barksdale Air Force Base Airmen began major training to hone their skills during the base Nuclear Operational Readiness Exercise. 

The exercise is geared towards testing the wing operations planning and ability to generate a large number of B-52 Stratofortresses for the global strike mission. Barksdale Airmen undergo scenarios in coordination with the U.S. Strategic Command. 

"We're generating and preparing our fleet of B-52s to be able to deploy to forward operating locations and preparing to execute the strategic OPLAN mission in the event that our nation needs us to, giving the president sovereign options," said Col. Robert Wheeler, 2nd Bomb Wing commander. 

"Deterrence is what we're trying to do here. The objective is to deter other nations from making the wrong choices and in the end that is the purpose of what we do and exercises like these are how we prepare for it." 

"This is our number one mission--we are the 'air breathing' part of the nuclear triad," Colonel Wheeler said. 

The "triad" as it's called, consists of nuclear submarines, intercontinental ballistic missiles and bombers. 

"We're the most visible part of that triad the world sees; the objective is to be seen and counted," he said. 

"From both a presidential and military perspective, it's the most recallable option so you can fly these particular missions with the ability to recall them at the last second or when diplomatic actions advance." 

One of the main objectives of the exercise on Thursday was to demonstrate the 2nd Bomb Wing's runway saturation capability using a minimal interval take off, or MITO, launching 13 B-52s in minimum time, under adverse weather conditions. 

"Our maintainers and operators did a magnificent job preparing and executing this exercise; it is a testament to out maintainers that they were able to ready and launch all 13 aircraft in such a short period of time," said Colonel Wheeler. "This aircraft maybe over 40 years old, but it is still extremely reliable and more importantly very lethal." 

Barksdale Airmen will repeat the MITO again Monday. 

"Approximately 14 aircraft will simulate an incoming strike and saturate the runway to get them airborne to their orbit points before continuing on their mission," Colonel Wheeler said. "The 2nd Bomb Wing is ready to accomplish this mission; we are good stewards of our nation's assets--we are capable at any time, at any place and anywhere in the world. We're pushing towards making our capabilities even sharper--we're going to test our mettle to the limit." 

"I appreciate everyone's hard work and push to make this capability even better and more lethal than it was in the past," he concluded. "I also want everyone to know as of Oct. 1, we are part of the nation's Global Deterrence Force and at that time, we are the tip of the spear for any issue going on in the world from a global strike perspective."