Words and photographs by Mike Freer additional photography Stuart Freer.

The role of Global Power missions is to demonstrate the ability to strike at an enemy target anywhere in the world outside the continental USA. For this purpose, three forward operating bases have been established at Diego Garcia, Guam and RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire, England. The recent deployment to Fairford was to test out the newly built $4 million NATO-funded squadron operations building which opened during July, 2008.

The mission commenced on August 10th with the arrival of two KC-135R tanker aircraft of the 117th Air Refuelling Squadron/ Kansas Air National Guard (‘Kansas Coyotes’) from their base at Forbes Field, Topeka, Kansas. The aircraft in question were tail numbers 60-0365 (callsign “Wylie 81”) and 58-0122 (callsign “Wylie 82”). The “Wylie” callsigns are a reference to the cartoon character “Wylie Coyote”. These aircraft brought in equipment and ground crew to support the exercise which involved 70 members of the 13th Bomb Squadron/509th Bomb Wing from Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri.

The arrival of two B-2A aircraft just after midnight on August 12th heralded the start of the exercise proper. The aircraft were 82-1067 ‘Spirit of Arizona’ (callsign “Reaper 11”) and 89-0128 ‘Spirit of Nebraska’ (callsign “Reaper 12”) , both carried markings of the 393rd Bomb Squadron (‘Tigers’).

The bombers had flown from their base in the USA and dropped 2,000 pounds of inert weapons at Wainfleet bombing range before recovering to RAF Fairford. Spirit of Arizona had hung up ordnance over the range and damaged a tyre on landing at Fairford. Because of the lack of a spare tyre, it played no further role in the mission until a replacement was flown in just before its departure back to the USA.

The only mission flown from Fairford was on August 13th when Spirit of Nebraska once again bombed the range at Wainfleet. However, this did not go without its problems, as the aircraft went “tech” during its pre-flight checks and the mission had to be delayed by two hours.

In addition to members of the 13th Bomb Squadron (‘Grim Reapers’) the author noticed, during his visit, members of the newly formed 131st Bomb Wing/Missouri Air National Guard. This is an associate unit assigned to the 509th Bomb Wing from elements of the 131st Fighter Wing which operated F-15C/D aircraft from Lambert Field, St Louis, Missouri. The 131st FW were a casualty of the BRAC (Base Realignment and Closure) programme and many of its aircrew, maintainers and support staff were integrated into the 509th Bomb Wing. They flew their first sortie on June 28th.

Two pilots of note were Squadron Leader Jon Killerby, an exchange pilot from the Royal Air Force (only the second RAF pilot to have flown the B-2A) and Captain Justin Grieve, one of the pilots that miraculously survived the take off crash of a B-2A at Guam during February, 2008.

The deployment came to an end on August 17th when both bombers departed for the USA. They both headed out to the Flamborough air refuelling track off the East coast of England to take on fuel from one of the Kansas ANG tankers before heading for home over Scotland.

The NATO Squadron Ops unit was further tested with the arrival of two B-52H aircraft during the evening of August 19th in appalling weather conditions. Both aircraft (61-0014 & 61-0040 both tail coded MT) were from the 5th Bomb Wing, Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, using callsigns “Icer 11-12”. The ranges at Spadeadam and Wainfleet were both utilised before recovery to RAF Fairford. No other missions were flown and both aircraft departed for home via the Flamborough refuelling track on August 22nd. Due to a combination of bad weather and a lack of flying, the author was unable to photographically record their visit.

The author would like to thank the Base Commander, Colonel “Camel” Dill and the Fairford Aviation Society for their kind hospitality during his visit. Also, the publication Stars and Stripes for additional information.