Air Force Global Strike Command B-2 and B-52 bombers staged deterrent operations from RAF Fairford, Britain, as part of ongoing NATO and US Strategic Command exercises in the region. The B-2s conducted hot-pit refueling and crew change, demonstrating rapid regeneration from a forward location on their brief stopover at Fairford on June 7, according to a release. Three B-52s from Minot AFB, N.D., are simultaneously operating from Fairford in support of exercises Baltops and Saber Strike, according to a second release. The 5th Bomb Wing B-52s were originally slated to fly nonstop sorties from the United States to take part in a scenario off the Swedish coast during NATO’s Baltops. The bombers are now also flying ground-support training over Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland as part of the US Army Europe-led Saber Strike exercise that runs through June 19. “This deployment to RAF Fairford was specifically designed … to ensure maximum opportunities to synchronize and integrate our bomber capabilities with [allied] military assets,” explained STRATCOM Commander Adm. Cecil Haney. Baltops goes to June 20.
Lt. Gen. Dan Caine, nominee to be chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the Defense Department needs to upgrade its electronic warfare capability and its EW training ranges; just as his predecessor said at his own confirmation hearing.