Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/1407425
Force rotations are often taking place in sync with major allied exercises - such as Baltops, or Ample Strike. 100th Air Refueling Wing Stratotankers, flying out of Mildenhall, also play an obvious, relevant role in those operations - providing aerial refueling that efficiently extends the bombers' combat radius. Notably, never before did the B-1Bs operate out of a location different than Fairford. They did make some occasional appearances at air shows in the UK, or in the Czech Republic, nonetheless, these cannot be considered to be a part of operations. When it comes to the B-2s, the Atlantic crossings were often made via the Lajes Field in the Azores. One should add that European sorties were also being flown, from time to time, from the bombers' home bases, with extensive support provided by the aerial refueling assets. However, the first edition of Bomber Task Force Europe this year has taken place along the lines of an entirely different plan. For the first time, the B-1Bs were deployed in February to the RNoAF base, the Ørland Main Air Station (four jets from the 7th Bomber Wing 9th Expeditionary Bomber Squadron). One can see that the deployment addressed the growing tensions in the Arctic. The Norwegian base is closer to the potential operational theater. Considering the new anti-ship capabilities of the B-1Bs, the base provides a good capability to „handle" the strategic GIUK gap (Greenland – Island-United Kingdom) - the entrance to the Atlantic that the Russian Northern Fleet usually uses. Thanks to the fact that the Ørland Main Air Station was being used, the bomber crews have verified the capacity to use the Norwegian infrastructure as a forward operating base. This enhanced their flexibility and mobility. Initially, the missions proceeded along the usual lines. Long-range sorties, with the jets accompanying the bombers. The Americans do not use the word „intercept", they use the term „integration", to refer to the involvement of allied fighters. This term was used for the „integration" that took place on March 3rd, when B-1B flew over the capital cities of the Baltic States, accompanied by the Italian and German Typhoons remaining on duty, within the framework of the Baltic Air Policing. Before that, the B-1B also had encountered the Polish and Danish F-16s over the Baltic. The aforesaid flexibility was expanded even further. On March 8th, the crew of B-1B "Dark Knight" landed beyond the Polar Circle for the first time, at the Norwegian Bodø AFB. Even though the distance between the bases is not a challenge for the B-1B, the mission was fairly complicated and involved joint operations with US, Swedish, and Norwegian JTACs, and „integration" with four Swedish JAS-39C Gripens. The Bodø refueling was done in a „warm pit" regime - the engines were turned off, but the APU remained active, and the crew stayed in the cockpit. The idea here is to allow the jet to take off and restore its readiness quicker. However, following the announcements made by the www.fragoutmag.com