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BALTOPS B-52 mining operations: The Mission

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Sahara L. Fales
  • 5th Expeditionary Operations Group Public Affairs
ROYAL AIR FORCE FAIRFORD, United Kingdom --  U.S. Air Force members deployed at Royal Air Force Fairford, United Kingdom, paired with the Navy for a second time during exercise BALTOPS 16 to conduct a mining mission in the Baltic region, June 11, 2016.

In addition to U.S. Naval forces, B-52H Stratofortress aircrews integrated with the Royal Netherlands Navy this time, carrying 12 inert MK-62 Quick Strike mines that were employed to showcase the aircraft's capability to support our NATO allies in the region.

"The mission objective for us this weekend was to take the MK-62 inert mines, and deliver them to the mine lane that was the target area for us just off the coast of a small island in the Baltic region," said Capt. Matthew Dougherty, 23rd Expeditionary Bomb Squadron pilot. "Our goal was to successfully employ them so we could demonstrate the B-52's ability to deliver mines on-time, on-target, anywhere in the world."

Earlier in the week, 5th Expeditionary Munitions Squadron Airmen teamed with minemen from the U.S. Navy to assemble the inert MK-62s for this mission. With each mine weighing approximately 500 lbs., the two B-52s carrying the payload played an integral part in ensuring an accurate delivery for our Royal Netherlands Navy counterparts.

"The B-52 is unlike any other platform," Dougherty said. "We were able to deliver a large amount of sea mines that added a necessary layer of support to the navy as a part of the mine sweeping operations they are conducting in the Baltic."

During this BALTOPS 16 mission, the bombers worked in tandem with NATO naval forces to provide air defense, maritime domain awareness and support to amphibious operations.

"Flying, with our Netherland Navy partners in the water, was awesome," Dougherty said. "They were thrilled to have us too. They were so impressed with the B-52s, they wanted us to come back around and do another dry pass after the mission so they could get a good view of the aircraft."

Although they faced inclement weather, Dougherty said the seamless team work provided by maintenance, fuels and load crew Airmen prepared the aircrew for a successful mission.

"We had a great time and we did exactly what we were there to do," the pilot said. "It was a great demonstration of American airpower and a great day to be a bomber baron."