Minot maintainers learn new weapons system Published Aug. 31, 2016 By Airman 1st Class Christian Sullivan Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- The 5th Maintenance Group are familiarizing themselves with a new conventional rotary launcher for the B-52H Stratofortress at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota. “It’s a new capability for Minot Air Force Base,” said Master Sgt. Iickyra Jones, 5th MXG weapons standardization superintendent. “Right now we are learning how to maintain it as well as load it.” Minot AFB, along with the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale AFB Louisiana, are the two wings with this capability. They are now entering a training and familiarization phase and will reciprocate it to the rest of Global Strike Command once they have become familiar with it. “Our role at Minot is to help Global Strike Command implement this new platform by going through the processes and finding deficiencies,” said Senior Master Sgt. Frank Espinoza, incoming 5th MXG weapons standardization superintendent. “Once we get done and all the logistics are validated, the entire B-52 fleet will be able to implement this weapons system.” The CRL is a weapons system that broadens the B-52’s already expanded workload. Rather than carrying conventional munitions primarily on the wings, they can now load them in the bomb bay as well. “It gives the B-52 the capability to carry conventional munitions internally,” Jones said. “It’s a compliment to what it already has because it gives the B-52 the capability to carry internal GPS guided munitions. Before the CRL, all we could do was load special and ‘dummy’ munitions into the bomb bay. In the past, the B-52 was limited to Vietnam era unguided bombs. With the new system in place, it will be able to carry Joint Direct Attack Munitions at first.” This new platform is expected to help improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the bomber mission twofold: First, by being able to carry more weapons without reloading as often, and second, it makes the BUFF a more diverse bomber. “The CRL will give combatant commanders another option for the battlefield commanders to be able to engage the enemy,” Espinoza said. “Lately, other bomber aircraft have been brought back for upgrades, so the B-52 platform has been asked to take that role. With this new system in line, it provides more options for engagement without having to leave the area.”