Posted on 10/23/2017 5:15:18 AM PDT by Enlightened1
The United States Air Force will put its ageing fleet of nuclear-capable B-52 bombers on 24-hour alert for the first time since the end of the Cold War, according to its chief of staff.
Amid rising tensions with North Korea and a resurgent Putin-led Russia, General David Goldfein told Defense One that the strategic bomber force will be ready at a day's notice for the first time in 26 years.
Adapting to the 'reality of the global situation', Goldfein's order would see B-52s readied at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana and armed with nuclear weapons - something not seen since 1991.
Indeed, Barksdale - the home of the 2D Bomb Wing and Air Force Global Strike Command - is currently being refurbished in anticipation of the change in defense posture to allow the bombers to 'take off at a moment's notice'.
This is the latest defensive move from the US military, matching the bellicose threats that President Trump has posted on Twitter, putting North Korea, Iran and other American enemies on notice he will use the might of the armed forces.
This comes after Donald Trump met with top military chiefs on October 6, and made a comment about 'calm before the storm.'
Speaking to Defense One, General Goldfein emphasized that orders haven't been given yet, but that they are preparing the bases in the event that it should happen.
'This is yet one more step in ensuring that we're prepared,' General Goldfein explained.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Good. Give the screwball bastards something to think about. Enough is E freakin nuff !
Kim Jong Un will try something very spectacular and frighten my bold right during Trump’s visit to Tokyo in two weeks. Just knowing his spite and mentality. If there are any evacuation movements, we will know “it’s on.” Just my Intuition.
Before Trump leaves for the Asia trip he should put all US armed forces on imminent war alert while he’s out of the country.
24/7 joint drills off the NORK coast with S Korea & Japan. Round the clock.
Buzz Rocket Man all day long.
Finally. I was never that happy with putting our national defense on ‘banker’s hours’.
NK should worry about the bombers they can’t see...
I totally agree. backing out of the Asia trip would be the WRONG signal to Kin Jung U.
We should hammer North Korea with radar, other targeting means, AWACs, everything. Make them know that they are on the very short end of a big stick.
Pretty amazing videos on YouTube of B-52s practicing Doomsday scrambles.
The more things change the more they stay the same.its just unfortunate that the USAF disbanded the Stratigic Air Command as a cost saving measure in 1992.SAC’s purpose in being was to launch effective long range nuclear attacks and to provide a deterant to other nuclear powers.
All we have today is the Air Force Strategic Command and its not even close to the capabilities that SAC presented during its period of operations.
SAC at the time was the most professional Command in the USAF.it had to be.The nations safety required it.
Kind of thought that has always been their status.
Exactly, this is a show of force. What's the old saying, rattling a saber makes noise, drawing one does not...
If anything, the message of these bombers is "we will end you." By that I mean, they represent the end of NK as a habitable zone. If NK were to do something stupid and launch a WMD at us, our territories, or our allies - we would use immediate retaliation to end the threat. Missile defense forces to knock down the WMD, and almost certainly sub launched MIRV'd systems to wipe every potential launch site. That ensures no further immediate attacks. But these weapons are limited in number and thus valuable not only in a monetary sense but in a strategic sense. So you only use them for extremely high value targets - preventing further attack.
That's bad enough - a dozen or so smaller nukes going off in NK. However, it is the bombers that represent the end of the world for NK. About the time the sub is achieving launch depth, the bombers are starting engines. A few hours later, after the dust and debris thrown up by the initial strikes has cleared, the BUFFs arrive overhead and systematically glass every facility in NK that ever had anything to do with their missile or nuclear programs, including military and "civilian" leadership sites. Picture a couple dozen more nuclear weapons going off - some of them big stuff for digging out bunkers and deeply buried facilities. By the end of the day NK ceases to exist and is rendered uninhabitable.
The bombers aren't retaliation, they are the final, permanent solution to the NK problem.
“NK should worry about the bombers they can’t see...”
You mean the 111 B-2’s (of the original order) that we never built because “peace was breaking out all over the world”?
I doubt Kim worries too much about our stupid decisions.
The name, General Goldfein, sounds like a character from a James Bond Movie.
My worry is that Kim and his minions will see themselves as ready for some national sacrifice.
The name General LeMay still is remembered in NK.
This helps explain the pilot recall to active duty.
Easier to train and qualify BUFF pilots and crew than fighter pilots.
I suspect there is more to this story than NK...Somebody knows something.
SAC predated the Air Force. It was a specified command under the DOD seperate from the Army Air Corp.
“Our father, who art in Omaha, Curtis be thy name ...”
give Hap Arnold some credit
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