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Barksdale Airmen practice operational capability

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Alexandra M. Longfellow
  • 2d Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  Barksdale Airman participated in a Nuclear Operational Readiness Exercise Feb. 22.

The exercise tested the wing's operations planning and ability to generate a large number of B-52 Stratofortresses to support the global strike mission.

"This NORE allows our Airmen deployed to Minot Air Force Base, N.D., to continue improving our nuclear operations and technical procedures with our 5th Bomb Wing brethren," said Lt. Col. Paul Griffith, 2d Bomb Wing, director of plans, programs and evaluations.

The 2d Maintenance Group generated the required aircraft during the exercise and the 2d Operations Group prepared and tested the required crew members. The 2d Mission Support Group secured the generated area and arranged travel for maintenance and cargo headed for Minot. All sections were tested by evaluators and graded on how they react to special situations.

The exercise provides an opportunity to evaluate Barksdale's ability to execute mission requirements and hone the necessary skills to perform the mission. It takes an enormous amount of planning and coordination between the 2d and 5th BWs and 8th Air Force to properly execute the complex exercises.

"This exercise was the first robust test of these different contingencies," said Colonel Griffith. "It allowed our leaders and Airmen to learn, experience and devise the best methods for these operations now and in the future."

This exercise had two distinct objectives -- to provide and deploy all tasked support to the NORE at Minot as quickly as possible to meet or exceed mission's timelines and to exercise additional contingencies for operational missions ranging from global strike to expeditionary combat support.

"Every day our Airmen maintain the highest standards of compliance and accountability while we continue to improve our operational capability," said Col. Steven Basham, 2d Bomb Wing commander. "This NORE was an opportunity for the 2d BW to demonstrate its continuous preparedness for conducting nuclear operation in a safe, secure and credible manner."

The 2d BW has two NOREs scheduled for April and May to prepare for the upcoming June NORI.