B-52 turns 60, but has lots of life left

[longknife]

by Staff writer @ B-52 turns 60, but has lots of life left - Military News | News From Afghanistan, Iraq And Around The World - Military Times

The B-52 is celebrating a big birthday this year — 60 — but unlike humans who feel the aches and pains of aging, the aircraft remains a premiere bombing machine that is expected to continue giving bad guys a real bad day through the 2040s, thanks to yet another upgrade.

http://www.militarytimes.com/xml/ne...ots-life-left-102112w/102912af_b52_01_800.JPG

Full story at above link.

I grew up outside of Riverside, CA and remember well the very first B-52s arriving there. What beautiful aircraft. I wrote about them in Vietnam in my Amazon.com short story, Mekong Ambush.

 

[Trajan]

Dude, they have only been around since 76...

 

[whitehall]

by Staff writer @ B-52 turns 60, but has lots of life left - Military News | News From Afghanistan, Iraq And Around The World - Military Times

The B-52 is celebrating a big birthday this year — 60 — but unlike humans who feel the aches and pains of aging, the aircraft remains a premiere bombing machine that is expected to continue giving bad guys a real bad day through the 2040s, thanks to yet another upgrade.

http://www.militarytimes.com/xml/ne...ots-life-left-102112w/102912af_b52_01_800.JPG

Full story at above link.

I grew up outside of Riverside, CA and remember well the very first B-52s arriving there. What beautiful aircraft. I wrote about them in Vietnam in my Amazon.com short story, Mekong Ambush.

Um, what bad guys? Can't olde timers who enjoy vintage, sleek war machines understand that the Cold War is over and American Troops who are bogged down in a thankless military operation don't even have permission for a mortar attack on an enemy that still lives in the 6th century?

 

[daveman]

by Staff writer @ B-52 turns 60, but has lots of life left - Military News | News From Afghanistan, Iraq And Around The World - Military Times

The B-52 is celebrating a big birthday this year — 60 — but unlike humans who feel the aches and pains of aging, the aircraft remains a premiere bombing machine that is expected to continue giving bad guys a real bad day through the 2040s, thanks to yet another upgrade.

http://www.militarytimes.com/xml/ne...ots-life-left-102112w/102912af_b52_01_800.JPG

Full story at above link.

I grew up outside of Riverside, CA and remember well the very first B-52s arriving there. What beautiful aircraft. I wrote about them in Vietnam in my Amazon.com short story, Mekong Ambush.

Um, what bad guys? Can't olde timers who enjoy vintage, sleek war machines understand that the Cold War is over and American Troops who are bogged down in a thankless military operation don't even have permission for a mortar attack on an enemy that still lives in the 6th century?

B-52s were flying close air support mission in Afghanistan as late as 2006.

 

[whitehall]

by Staff writer @ B-52 turns 60, but has lots of life left - Military News | News From Afghanistan, Iraq And Around The World - Military Times

The B-52 is celebrating a big birthday this year — 60 — but unlike humans who feel the aches and pains of aging, the aircraft remains a premiere bombing machine that is expected to continue giving bad guys a real bad day through the 2040s, thanks to yet another upgrade.

http://www.militarytimes.com/xml/ne...ots-life-left-102112w/102912af_b52_01_800.JPG

Full story at above link.

I grew up outside of Riverside, CA and remember well the very first B-52s arriving there. What beautiful aircraft. I wrote about them in Vietnam in my Amazon.com short story, Mekong Ambush.

Um, what bad guys? Can't olde timers who enjoy vintage, sleek war machines understand that the Cold War is over and American Troops who are bogged down in a thankless military operation don't even have permission for a mortar attack on an enemy that still lives in the 6th century?

B-52s were flying close air support mission in Afghanistan as late as 2006.

Big B-52 Bombers in "close air support" in Afghanistan? Surely you just.

 

[daveman]

Um, what bad guys? Can't olde timers who enjoy vintage, sleek war machines understand that the Cold War is over and American Troops who are bogged down in a thankless military operation don't even have permission for a mortar attack on an enemy that still lives in the 6th century?

B-52s were flying close air support mission in Afghanistan as late as 2006.

Big B-52 Bombers in "close air support" in Afghanistan? Surely you just.

Nope.

B52 Stratofortress Association

In the following months, which would stretch into years, B-52s based on Diego Garcia struck known Taliban positions and targets of opportunity, and carried out close air support and propaganda leaflet drops.

Further west, the confrontation with the Iraqi government over disarmament and weapons inspections continued. Finally, there was a United Nations coalition decision to invade the country and replace the regime. Hostilities commenced during the night of 21 March 2003, when more than 1000 air strikes were carried out within the first few hours.

The B-52 was again a major contributor to the “shock and awe” punch. During the 28 days of the air war leading to the fall of Baghdad, 28 B-52s took part, taking off from Fairford and Diego Garcia to deliver CALCMs, conventional bombs, precision guided bombs (including the first combat release of a laser guided bomb using the Litening Pod), and leaflets.

As combat operations are prolonged in both Afghanistan and Iraq, the B-52 continues to play its part, largely by providing close air support to troops in contact, with the GPS guided GBU-31/32 Joint Direct Attack Munition as the weapon of choice. The BUF presently carries 12.​

 

[Mad Scientist]

"Someone call for close air support? OK I'll just turn around here and... Oh shit!"

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6IuJY4qkiY"]1994 Fairchild Air Force Base B-52 crash - YouTube[/ame]

 

[whitehall]

American Troops can't get authorization for a mortar attack and ignorant people think B-52's are authorized. It's a shame that the stalemate in Afghanistan goes unreported while the stupids pound their chests thinking we are bombing the jihad.

 

[daveman]

American Troops can't get authorization for a mortar attack and ignorant people think B-52's are authorized. It's a shame that the stalemate in Afghanistan goes unreported while the stupids pound their chests thinking we are bombing the jihad.

I said they were used as recently as 2006, moron.

This is 2012. Check a calendar. Then STFU.