 |
| News > Commentary - A Ground Liaison Officer’s perspective on the B-52 |
|
A Ground Liaison Officer’s perspective on the B-52
Posted 4/23/2012 Updated 4/23/2012
Email story
Print story
Commentary by Army Capt. Joshua Payne
5th Bomb Wing Ground Liaison Officer
4/23/2012 - MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- Throughout the history of modern warfare, air and land integration has been instrumental to the success of the U.S. military.
In its 60 years of service, the B-52 has served a crucial role with how airpower correlates with ground power. The most notable examples of these efforts are the Linebacker Campaigns of the Vietnam War, which were major contributors to U.S. Force advancement and destruction of critical Northern Vietnamese infrastructure that led to the Paris Peace talks and ended the prolonged war in South-East Asia.
During the Gulf War, the B-52 dropped 40 percent of all munitions, demoralizing the defending Iraqi troops who surrendered to the advancing coalition forces outside of Bagdad, Iraq, thus making the Gulf War one of the most successful integrated force campaigns in U.S. history.
Today, B-52s are still a crucial asset to the integration of air and land components. The first and foremost is their reputation. Our enemies are familiar with the history and impact that the B-52 has played on the battlefield during American military campaigns.
The B-52 presence alone alters their strategy and overall war fighting capability. Not only can the BUFF perform the close air support mission for a much longer duration, at higher altitude and with more fire power than their fighter counterparts, it provides key tools for ground component commanders to utilize, such as multiple communication platforms, electronic warfare and intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities that allow ground component commanders constant communication, route safety and eyes on the objective to formulate the best course of action on the ground; all the while still having the ability to utilize all of the assets that are organic to their command such as mortars and field artillery.
As the Ground Liaison Officer at Minot AFB, I am the link between the Airframe and the ground commander.
Through my incentive flights and mission planning sessions, these experiences have exposed me to the vast and incredible capabilities of the B-52, which has proven the Buff as an invaluable resource not only to the mission of nuclear deterrence but the conventional fight as well. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
