USAF Evaluates Boeing B-52 Bombers In Combat Training Exercise

The US Air Force announced that the Minot B-52 aircrew and munition members successfully performed during a combat exercise last week.

Dubbed ‘Combat Hammer’, the ground combat training exercise which took place from February 8-10, was to evaluate the reliability and efficiency of existing combat weapons systems while also assessing the Air Force's air-to-ground munitions program.

"We exercise to ensure we are able to hit a target that the Air Force tells us to hit, with weapons they tell us to use, at a time they want it to be hit," said Maj. Ryan Cox, 5th Operations Support Squadron chief of wing scheduling. "The exercise evaluates everything from building the bomb, to loading the bomb, to planning the sortie, to dropping the weapon, to hitting the target".  

During this specific weapons system evaluation, six B-52Hs from the 69th Bomb Squadron dropped laser-guided GBU-12 and GPS-guided GBU-38 bombs on moving targets at the Eglin Test and Training Complex Range at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.

The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber.

"Combat Hammer allows Air Force leaders to understand the effectiveness they can expect from the weapons systems they will take to combat," said Maj. Mike Middents, 5th Bomb Wing Director of Staff. "The evaluation identifies where planners and operators might expect issues in weapons employment. The evaluation also builds confidence in all personnel engaged in the event as they see how their weapons loads and flying result in effectively hitting the target."

The air-to-air and air-to-ground WSEP evaluations are accomplished during tactical deliveries of fighter, bomber and unmanned aircraft system precision guided munitions. This is performed on realistic targets with air-to-air and surface-to-air defenses said Eglin officials.

According to Middents, the 23rd Bomb Squadron will participate in their own WSEP later this year. Although the scenario may change depending on exercise objectives, the current and predicted security environment drive exercise objectives, he added.