Launch!

This lone crew chief launches the world’s most advanced and lethal bomber on its practice combat sortie. The B-2 Spirit stealth bomber recently participated in a series of ordnance drops on the Pohakuloa Training Area on the big island of Hawaii. They practiced combat operations while working with JTACs on the ground that were calling in the fire from the B-2s (Air Force photo/Senior Airman Brian Kimball)

Combat training

This B-2 Spirit taxies toward the end of the airfield here in preparation for its combat training sortie. Long duration sorties like this help ensure the aircrews are razor sharp and ready to deliver massive amounts of firepower on American and allied adversaries anywhere in the world. This particular mission was valuable as it allowed for the aircrews to work with Airmen on the ground calling for fire at the bombing range in Hawaii. (Air Force photo/Senior Airman Brian Kimball)

Calling the shot

Airman 1st Class Robert Gaines calls in an air strike Oct. 23, 2007 at the Pohakuloa Training Area on the island of Hawaii. Airman Gaines is a tactical air controller from the 25th Air Support Operations Squadron, Wheeler Army Air Field, Hawaii. The TAC-Ps are training as part of the Koa Lightning exercise where bombers fly from Guam and practice their targeting. Currently deployed B-2 Spirit bombers are at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam as part of the continuous bomber presence mission. Rotational bomber deployments to Guam help maintain stability and security in the region while allowing stateside-based units to become familiar with operating in the Pacific Theater. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Shane A. Cuomo)

Calling the shot

Staff Sgt. George Earhart looks over a range map Oct. 23, 2007 at the Pohakuloa Training Area on the island of Hawaii. Sgt. Earhart is a tactical air controller from the 25th Air Support Operations Squadron, Wheeler Army Air Field, Hawaii. The TAC-Ps are training as part of the Koa Lightning exercise where bombers fly from Guam and practice their targeting. Currently deployed B-2 Spirit bombers are at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam as part of the continuous bomber presence mission. Rotational bomber deployments to Guam help maintain stability and security in the region while allowing stateside-based units to become familiar with operating in the Pacific Theater. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Shane A. Cuomo)

B-2s train with JTACs, drop bombs on training range

Published Oct. 29, 2007
By Tech. Sgt. Steven Wilson
36th Operations Group Public Affairs

ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam -- The B-2 Spirit stealth bomber deployed here practiced weapons drops in the Pohakuloa Training Area on the big island of Hawaii Oct. 23.

But these bombing runs were a little different than the aviators simply using the Spirit's state of the art targeting system to slam the ordnance right where they wanted it.

This time, the fliers were conducting operations with some joint terminal attack controllers on the ground. The B-2 deployment allowed these specially trained Airmen to hone their skills in operating with a bomber platform.

They say the difference in what the B-2 brings to the battlefield is dramatic.
"Strategic bombers in and of themselves are huge force multipliers," said Tech. Sgt. Richard Setlock, a JTAC from the 25th Air Support Operations Squadron. "Fighter
attack aircraft can stay on station for 45-minutes and provide six to eight bombs. We can have a bomber overhead for two to four hours and provide four times the firepower that a fighter attack aircraft would. It's huge."

The global reach and long loiter time over a target is a unique capability of America's bomber force. This makes the B-2 especially lethal for America's enemies.

"Our aerial refueling capability means we're only limited by the human factor of aircrew fatigue," said Col. Damian McCarthy, 36th Operations Group commander. "Having the ability to stay over a target for extended periods, especially in a stealth airframe, gives the combatant commander the option to strike the bad guys at a time and place of their choosing."

This capability can be put to good use by the Airmen on the ground.

"(Bombers) provide so much more firepower," Sergeant Setlock explained. "They can strike several targets at one time, where a fighter attack aircraft, were basically doing one at a time. With accurate coordinates pulled up by a JTAC, we can hit up to fourteen targets at once."

For this series of exercises, the B-2s were dropping 2000-lb bombs on targets in the training area. They did it the old fashioned way too. No laser designating the target and no joint direct attack munitions with global positioning system guidance. It was just the aviators, their instruments, a deadly airframe and some Airmen on the mock battlefield calling in the coordinates.

They said the B-2 delivered.

"This is the first time I've worked with the B-2, and I was actually kind of amazed by the accuracy, considering we weren't using precision weapons," Sergeant Setlock said.

The B-2 deployment to Guam demonstrates the commitment of the U.S. to regional and global security. Alaska, Hawaii and Guam create a strategic triangle in this area of the world and allows the Air Force to project its capabilities from U.S. soil.