MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan -- A U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer assigned to the 37th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, forward-deployed from Andersen AFB, Guam, to Misawa Air Base, Japan, to conduct a hot pit refuel in support of a Bomber Task Force (BTF) mission Nov. 14.
This type of refueling uses a technique in which aircraft land and refuel without shutting down their engines, reducing the amount of time the aircraft spends on the ground.
“Hot pit refueling provides us a means to quickly refuel aircraft and get them back into the air, extending a route of flight that we may not reach from our home station,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Christopher McConnell, 37th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron commander. “It provides flexibility in our mission and demonstrates the ability to quickly get B-1s back in the fight, if needed.”
Training outside the U.S. enables aircrew and Airmen to become familiar with other theaters and airspace, and enhances the enduring skills and relationships necessary to confront a broad range of global challenges in support of the National Defense Strategy.
“BTF missions showcase our ability to integrate with many Allied and partner nations in the Indo-Pacific region, in addition to our Joint Forces,” said McConnell. “They provide valuable training for our bomber crews across multiple mission sets while integrating with those forces, and show our nation’s commitment to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific by exercising across the region.”