Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., is the joint-service home of the 509th Bomb Wing, the world's only B-2 Spirit stealth bomber unit. The 509th Operations Group and 509th Maintenance Group are responsible for the flying mission at Whiteman; they can launch combat sorties from Missouri to any spot on the globe, engaging adversaries with large payloads of traditional and precision-guided munitions.
The first combat use of this capability was during 1999, as part of Operation Allied Force, the air campaign over Serbia and Kosovo. More recently, the B-2 was instrumental in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Enduring Freedom in Iraq, flying multiple combat sorties, some of which totaled more than 40 hours.
Whiteman is home to many other vital units, both Air Force and sister services. Various support units make up the 509th Bomb Wing, including the 509th Mission Support and Medical groups. Additionally, the 442nd Fighter Wing, an Air Reserve wing flying the A-10, and the 131st Bomb Wing, an Air National Guard unit that flies the B-2 alongside the 509th, call Whiteman home. The Army's 1-135th Assault Helicopter Battalion and the is also key joint-service partners stationed at Whiteman.
Though Whiteman is home to several diverse units, they all support the same mission - delivering dynamic air power for the United States, and providing both a powerful deterrent to our enemies and an assurance to our allies.