Team Whiteman pilots prepare for bomber operations challenge

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Nick Wilson
  • 509th Bomb Wing
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. --  (Editor's note: This is part one of a three-part series highlighting the Air Force Global Strike Command's third-annual Global Strike Challenge)

One of the Air Force Global Strike Command's core values is 'pride in our nuclear heritage and mission.' One of the ways the command shows that pride is by having an annual Global Strike Challenge to demonstrate and showcase mission capabilities.

For Global Strike Challenge 2012, the third annual challenge, members from the 509th Bomb Wing participated in the bomber operations portion of the challenge June 25 through 29 at the Smoky Hill Air National Guard Range in Salina, Kan.

"The intent of the bomber operations challenge is to give all Air Force bomber squadrons the opportunity to demonstrate how good we are at getting bombs on target, how proficient we are at making sure they are getting there exactly on time and how well we can work through a complicated scenario," said Capt. Jon Roe, 393rd Bomb Squadron B-2 Spirit instructor pilot.

The bomber operations portion of the global strike challenge has three main components in which pilots can earn points. The first component will be the bomb score, in which pilots will be judged on how close bombs are to the targets. The second component is timing control, where pilots will be penalized for every second, early or late, the bomb hits the target. The third component being judged will be a real-world combat bombing scenario.

"We will be given rules of engagement and special instructions to take into account and then when we're up in the air, they're going to give us a dynamic situation," Roe said. "We're going to have to apply the information that's in these rules of engagement and special instructions to come up with the answer of which are the right targets to bomb for that particular mission."

For fairness, scenarios will be sent out to all participants two days in advance. That way, everyone participating has the same amount of time to plan their missions. Other bases besides Whiteman competing in this year's challenge are Barksdale Air Force Base, La., Minot Air Force Base, N.D., Dyess Air Force Base, Texas and Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D.

The most challenging aspect of the scenario is the many unknown challenges that can be thrown into the situation that pilots don't train with on a regular basis, according to Capt. Paul Rowney, 13th Bomb Squadron chief of safety.

"The way we normally fly is that we have a set mission, a set plan and we have to execute that plan down to the letter," Rowney said. "In this situation, there are many things we can't plan for in advance."

When it comes to getting an upper hand at winning the bomber operations portion of this year's GSC, pilots will need solid aircrew preparation in understanding the rules of engagement and special instructions to ensure so they're prepared for what is about to be thrown at them when they step to fly, according to Roe.