Latest news with #AirForceGlobalStrikeCommand
The Herald Scotland
a day ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
B-2 stealth bombers took off from the US on mission to strike Iran
Those targets were Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan in Iran, the president revealed in a social media post just before 8 p.m. ET, saying it was a "very successful attack." How to watch President Donald Trump will address the nation at 10 p.m. ET The B-2s, valued at roughly $2 billion a piece, are known not only for their stealth technology, but for their ability to fly long range and carry big "bunker busting" bombs designed to penetrate deeply-buried bunkers and facilities. Whiteman Air Force Base, southeast of Kansas City, Missouri, is home to the entire fleet of 19 B-2 stealth bombers and proclaims it "can project U.S. airpower anywhere around the world from its home station." Its 509th Bomb Wing is part of the Air Force Global Strike Command. What is the B-2 Spirit? The B-2 Spirit is a long-range stealth bomber, equipped to carry the heaviest U.S. bombs and nuclear weapons. Its design and materials limit its ability to be detected by enemy radar. Its flying wing design, composite materials and coating reduce its radar cross section, according to an updated Congressional Research Service report released June 18. All B-2s are nuclear-capable, equipped to carry nuclear gravity bombs, but not cruise missiles, the Research Service stated. It's the only aircraft equipped to carry the Massive Ordnance Penetrator, or GBU-57, known as the "bunker buster" bomb. What are the B-2 Spirit's specifications? The B-2 has a total crew of two pilots. A wingspan of 172 feet and a length of 69 feet. Weighs 160,000 pounds. Each can hold two of the GBU-57s. Its design and build cost has been estimated at around $2 billion. More: B-2 bomber returns home to Edwards AFB for upgrades on 35th anniversary of first flight How has the B-2 bomber been used? The bombers had been deployed at least once earlier in the year. Reuters, quoting unnamed U.S. officials, reported in April that as many as six bombers had been deployed to a U.S.-British military based on the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia. During Operation Allied Force, the B-2 was responsible for destroying 33% of all Serbian targets in the first eight weeks, flying nonstop to Kosovo from Missouri and back, according to the Air Force. During Operation Enduring Freedom, the B-2 flew from Whiteman to Afghanistan and back, the Air Force said. Its first ever combat deployment took place during Operation Iraqi Freedom, when it flew 22 sorties from a forward operating location, as well as 27 sorties from Whiteman. In total, the Air Force reported the bombers released more than 1.5 million pounds of munitions. In the waning days of the Obama administration in 2017, two B-2 bombers were among a fleet that dropped more than 100 bombs southwest of Sirte, Libya in strikes against the Islamic state and al-Qaeda terrorist targets. In October 2024, the U.S. attacked Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen with B-2 bombers. At the time, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the strike by the bombers "was a unique demonstration of the United States' ability to target facilities that our adversaries seek to keep out of reach, no matter how deeply buried underground, hardened or fortified." How does a bunker busting bomb work? Contributing: Reuters, Kim Hjelmgaard, John Bacon, Kathryn Palmer
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Japanese delegation hosted by Air Force Global Strike Command on Barksdale
BOSSIER CITY, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – Air Force Global Strike Command on Barksdale hosted a delegation from Japan last week strengthening international security ties. According to Air Force Global Strike Command Public Affairs, the gathering is called Extended Deterrence Dialogue (EDD) and it happened on June 5-6. The EDD brought together defense and foreign affairs officials from both nations. Global Strike Public Affairs says the U.S. side was represented by officials from the State Department and the Department of Defense, while the Japanese side was comprised of officials from the Japanese Foreign Ministry, Defense Ministry, and the Japanese Embassy in Washington. General Thomas Bussiere, commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, assisted in showing the delegation AFGSC training facilities and engaged in bilateral discussion. Global Strike Command Public Affairs says these talks have taken place at key sites within the U.S. nuclear triad since 2022. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Nikkei Asia
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Nikkei Asia
US once again selects strategic nuclear base for talks with Japan
WASHINGTON -- In an annual display of nuclear muscle, U.S. government officials showed their Japanese counterparts a fleet of B-52 strategic bombers on an Air Force base in Louisiana. The first Extended Deterrence Dialogue of President Donald Trump's second administration was held last Thursday and Friday at Barksdale Air Force Base, home of Air Force Global Strike Command. Photos of the visit were released on Monday.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Cancer Risk at Air Force Missiles Sites Low 'But Not Zero,' Latest Service Data Shows
Airmen who watched over America's nuclear intercontinental ballistic missiles in Cold War-era facilities faced marginally higher risk of cancer due to contaminants found there and more workplace oversight is needed, according to the latest findings of an Air Force health study. Air Force Global Strike Command, during a town hall event Wednesday, released the latest data showing the slightly elevated cancer risk as part of its ongoing probe into health concerns for America's missileers, maintainers and other support roles at several bases in the Midwest and Western U.S. The lifetime cancer risk for all Americans is around 39%, and the Air Force's Health Risk Assessment found rates of 39.9% to 40.13% for men and women if they would have served anywhere from eight to 70 years in those jobs. Service officials said consistent workplace inspections and monitoring would likely be necessary to address the risks, which are caused by the presence of chemicals and toxins. Read Next: Army Faces Backlash over Plan to Divert Barracks Funds to Border Mission Contaminants linked to cancer were found during a series of environmental studies at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming, Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana, and Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota. "In summary, this health risk assessment characterizes the health risk as low but not zero," Col. Ric Speakman, the commander of the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, said during the town hall presentation. "Therefore, the appropriate action is to include missile alert facility workers in an occupational surveillance." Air Force Global Strike Command is still in the process of an ongoing epidemiological study and is gathering more data from states as well as national cancer registries before more definitive cancer and health conclusions can be made. Last year, reported in an investigative series that past probes by the Air Force into cancer concerns roughly two decades ago went ignored, and past and current missileers and nuclear missile maintainers raised alarms about the environmental conditions, toxins and chemical dangers they faced while in uniform. They believe the conditions made them sick. In the wake of reporting, the service announced changes that included new workplace inspections and health record tracking, and the spouse of a missileer who died from non-Hodgkin lymphoma was able to secure Department of Veterans Affairs benefits related to his death. While polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, were one of the known outlawed carcinogenes that the Air Force's remediation efforts focused on, research shown during Wednesday's town hall showed there were other toxins detected as well that were factored into the service's health risk assessment. "Although only PCBs were detected at levels above the Environmental Protection Agency's standards for cleanup and remediation, the environmental sampling was sensitive enough to detect chemicals such as benzene and chloroform at levels well below standards for remediation," a Thursday news release from Air Force Global Strike Command following the town hall said. The Torchlight Initiative, a grassroots organization that began shortly after a Space Force officer and former Air Force missileer raised concerns about non-Hodgkin lymphoma rates at Malmstrom, released its own independent study in April examining the rates of blood cancer reported in its online health registry. That study found that service members were diagnosed at younger ages compared to the wider population. Air Force Global Strike Command officials briefly mentioned that study at the town hall, stating that, "while this study is separate from the missile community cancer study, it does add to the work advocacy and the well-being of the missile community." Representatives from the Torchlight Initiative were on Capitol Hill in early April alongside other advocacy groups, and made a plea to lawmakers in hopes of expanding the PACT Act -- a 2022 law that mostly covered veterans sickened by toxic exposure in war zones -- to cover those who experienced health issues stateside as well. "The Torchlight Initiative is happy to hear that Global Strike and U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine are still working on their long-term study and research," the organization said in a statement to on Thursday. "However, our focus and energy remains with the families who are disproportionately affected by these cancers and illnesses." The remaining data in the ongoing health study is slated to be released in late 2025. Gen. Thomas Bussiere, the head of Air Force Global Strike Command, said during the town hall he would advocate for a registry, if the VA also supported such a move, based on the study's findings. "The level of interest and oversight with the Department of the Air Force and Congress has not waned, and I'm very thankful and happy with the interest and actions on the part of the VA," Bussiere said in a news release after the town hall. "They've been great partners, and I anticipate they will continue to be great partners." Related: Independent Study Raises Alarm About Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma at Malmstrom Air Force Base
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
These Air Force fighters and bombers just flew together for the first time
Attendees at a recent Miami airshow witnessed an unprecedented 'Freedom Flyover' of three types of Air Force bombers and four types of fighters that had never been seen flying together before, said Charles Hoffman, a spokesman for Air Force Global Strike Command. 'It's not just about fighters and bombers,' Hoffman told Task & Purpose. 'It's about an integrated team of professionals coming together across the total force to illustrate the readiness and resolve of the active duty, Guard and Reserve force any time…anywhere.' The 2025 Hyundai Air & Sea Show on Saturday marked the first time that a B-52H, B-1B, B-2, F-22. F-15C, F-16C, and A-10 have flown in a formation, Hoffman said. 'We have done a few tri-bomber flyovers, and the command wanted to do something special and unique to honor the fallen for Memorial Day at the Miami Air Show,' Hoffman said. The reason that an F-35A Joint Strike Fighter was not part of the formation is that none were available at the time, Hoffman said. Each of the aircraft showcased different capabilities that the Air Force brings to the fight, Hoffman said. The B-2 is designed to penetrate advanced enemy air defenses, and both the B-52 and B-1 are able to attack targets from a distance with standoff weapons, he said. 'The fighters represent the ability to get global strike to and from anywhere … anytime and maintain air superiority and persistent tactical ground attack,' Hoffman said. The airmen had to show tremendous skill to fly the seven aircraft in a single formation, especially since the fighters are designed to fly much faster than the bombers, he said. The display of airpower comes after a recent 'elephant walk' of 53 Air Force and Navy aircraft along with Army missile batteries at Kadena Air Base, Japan. As Task & Purpose previously reported, that elephant walk contained just about every airframe needed for a fight in the Pacific — and was likely put on with China in mind. Task & Purpose asked Hoffman if the Air Force was sending a message to China with the Freedom Flyover's unique combination of fighters and bombers. 'The flyover served to honor the fallen for Memorial Day and simultaneously illustrated the Air Force's ability to project power, communicate resolve, and provide options in times of crisis,' Hoffman replied. Still, the formation's first-ever combination of bombers and fighters demonstrated that the Air Force is 'not to be trifled with,' said retired Air Force Col. Mark Gunzinger, a former B-52 instructor pilot and flight evaluator. 'Did it send a signal to our nation's enemies, including China? Absolutely,' said Gunzinger, who previously served as deputy assistant secretary of defense for forces transformation and resources. Gunzinger noted that the planes that took part in the Miami airshow were flown by both active-duty troops and reservists. 'China is rolling out a lot of new kit, but a key point is their airmen lack the decades of combat experience our airmen have, and that can make the difference between victory and failure in war,' said Gunzinger, who is currently the director of future concepts and capability assessments at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. However, Gunzinger added that the planes that flew at the Miami airshow were designed decades ago. The B-52, for example, first flew in 1952, just five years after the Air Force became an independent military branch. 'We have the combat edge in terms of experience,' Gunzinger said. 'We have the best airmen in the world, but we must increase our advantage over China by providing our airmen with new kit, because we don't want to engage in a fair fight. We want to dominate, and that will only occur if we modernize our Air Force.' 18 Army Rangers suspended for allegedly firing blanks at Florida beach Hegseth announces accountability review of Afghanistan withdrawal Coast Guard rescue swimmers saved a worker stuck in hardening concrete after roof collapse This National Guard unit went completely analog to simulate a cyber attack Fewer reenlistment options for soldiers amid high Army retention
