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        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      A B-52H Stratofortress from Minot Air Force Base, N.D., takes off from Royal Air Force Fairford, United Kingdom, June 7, 2016. Over the next 10 days, the aircrew will be flying more missions in support of BALTOPS 16, along with Saber Strike 16. In addition, the B-52 will be making its appearance in several airshows throughout countries such as Berin, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Sahara L. Fales)B-52s conclude Europe mission after supporting exercises, airshows 16
                        
                        
                        A B-52H Stratofortress from Minot Air Force Base, N.D., takes off from Royal Air Force Fairford, England, June 7, 2016. B-52H aircrew flew missions in support of exercises Baltic Operations 16 and Saber Strike 16. In addition, they made appearances in several airshows in Berlin, Paris, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Sahara L. Fales)
                
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        A B-52H Stratofortress from Minot Air Force Base, N.D., taxis down the runway at Royal Air Force Fairford, United Kingdom, in support of exercises Saber Strike 16 and BALTOPS 16, June 2, 2016. The B-52 is capable of carrying up to approximately 70,000 lbs. of munitions. These include gravity bombs, cluster bombs, precision guided missiles and joint direct attack munitions.  (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Sahara L. Fales)B-52s conclude Europe mission after supporting exercises, airshows
                        
                        
                        A B-52H Stratofortress from Minot Air Force Base, N.D., taxies down the runway at Royal Air Force Fairford, England, in support of exercises Saber Strike 16 and Baltic Operations 16 on June 2, 2016. The B-52 is capable of carrying up to approximately 70,000 pounds of munitions. These include gravity bombs, cluster bombs, precision guided missiles and joint direct attack munitions. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Sahara L. Fales)
                
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        PARIS – A U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bomber flies over the Lafayette Escadrille Memorial in Marnes-la-Coquette, France, April 20, 2016, during a ceremony honoring the 268 Americans who joined the French Air Force before the U.S. officially engaged in World War I. In addition to the B-52, four USAF fifth generation F-22 Raptor fighters, three FAF Mirage 2000Ns, one FAF Rafale and a World War I-era Stearman PT-17 biplane performed flyovers during the ceremony commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Layfette Escadrille’s formation. Men of the Lafayette Escadrille and Lafayette Flying Crops were critical to the formation of the USAF. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Tech. Sgt. Joshua DeMotts/Released)B-52s conclude Europe mission after supporting exercises, airshows
                        
                        
                        A B-52H Stratofortress flies over the Lafayette Escadrille Memorial in Marnes-la-Coquette, France, April 20, 2016, during a ceremony honoring the 268 Americans who joined the French Air Force before the U.S. officially engaged in World War I. The bomber was part of a deployment to Royal Air Force Fairford, England. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Joshua DeMotts)
                
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B-52s conclude Europe mission after supporting exercises, airshowsPublished June 23, 2016
                    
                    By Senior Airman Sahara L. Fales
                    
                    
                    5th Expeditionary Operations Group Public Affairs
            **ROYAL AIR FORCE FAIRFORD, England (AFNS) --**After flying numerous sorties, multiple airshows and missions with NATO allies, two B-52H Stratofortresses headed home June 23 to Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota.The bombers were deployed to Royal Air Force Fairford, along with about 250 personnel, from Air Force Global Strike Command in June to support multinational exercises Baltic Operations 16 and Saber Strike 16.“We had several goals for Baltops and Saber Strike; I’d most definitely say we achieved all of them,” said Col. Kieran Denehan, the 5th Expeditionary Operations Groups commander. “Training was the first goal for all of us here. We were able to successfully integrate with our allies over here in the Baltic region. The chance to train, fly and integrate with them has been an extremely valuable experience.”During their time at RAF Fairford, the aircrew flew 25 sorties in Poland, Denmark, Sweden, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, France, Germany and Italy. Five of those sorties included participation in airshows around Europe, such as in Paris and Berlin.“When you think of the full contingence of missions that we had to do during Baltops and Saber Strike, the B-52 is one of the perfect platforms because of the variety of different exercises it can do,” Denehan said. “We can fulfill so many different roles that we fit into multiple aspects of these exercises.”In addition to the aircraft, Airmen also demonstrated the same versatility in their work. To fly a single sortie it takes hundreds of people. Denehan attributed the teamwork from each unit for the seamless execution of every mission.“The overall performance of the 5th Expeditionary Operations Group has been nothing short of outstanding,” Denehan said. “The operations tempo was high, the airfield was constantly adapting, yet every Airman executed their role exceptionally and professionally. This is my last deployment as a commander, and I can just drop the mic and walk away because it was so fantastic.”With the exercises over, Airmen packed their bags and headed back to their home stations, grateful for the opportunity to showcase the strategic bomber to NATO partners for a third year in a row.“The B-52 is a great sign of America’s presence for assuring allies and deterring potential enemies,” the commander said. “It was an honor to be invited to participate in this exercise, and we thank our allies for having us.”B-52 



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