Wacha1
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- Dec 21, 2009
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US Stealth Bomber costing $2.1bn and with call-sign 'DEATH' lands at British RAF base after training mission in Iceland as stunned plane fanatics look on
Plane spotters received an unexpected surprise when a B2B stealth bomber came into land at RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire. The nuclear-capable $2.1bn aircraft was involved in a training mission over Iceland when it returned to the RAF base shortly before nightfall. Dozens of planespotters gathered around the airbase's perimeter fence waiting for the stealth bomber's return.
Steve King, who was among the crowd, said: 'It was quite a sight, as they are a unique and weird UFO-type looking planes.'I thought I’d take a different perspective, including some of the crowd looking up at it.'
Mr King, 37, from Swindon, Wiltshire, added: 'I’d say roughly it was about 50ft above me.
Three of the B2 bombers - which cost $135,000-an-hour to operate - have been involved a a series of NATO training missings.
The planes, which use the callsigns DEATH 1, DEATH 2 and DEATH 3 are temporarily based at RAF Fairford as part of a series of NATO training exercises. The aircraft touched down in Gloucestershire on August 27. 'Living fairly local to the air base I am a regular visitor when these exercises take place.'
With a 172-foot wingspan and a design that allows them to travel 10,000 miles with only one mid-air re-fueling, so that they could bypass Soviet air defence systems, they are one of the most deadly warplane models in the sky.
They are a small part of a US fleet of 20 Stealth Bombers, the country's most technologically advanced aircraft ever made, which are based at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri.
First designed under the Carter Administration, originally 132 were ordered by the United States. However, this was quickly scaled back following the collapse of the Soviet Union.
© Provided by Associated Newspapers Limited They are capable of carrying nuclear bombs as well as conventional explosives and were designed to be able to deliver a payload to the Soviet Union as they could evade their air defence system due to their ability to fly 10,000 miles and only need to refuel once
Since then the Stealth bombers have been used in fighting over Kosovo, where they bombed Serbian forces as NATO countered ethnic cleansing in the region, to take out Taliban targets in Afghanistan, and more recently to hit ISIS positions in Syria.
RAF Fairford is classed as a 'forward operating base' for the 509th Bomb Wing in the US European Command area.
During their training missions, the B-2s have flown with RAF F-35s, landed in Iceland at Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland in August and performed hot-pit refuelling training on the Azores. During hot-pit refuelling, ground crew replenish the aircraft's fuel supply while the engines are running.
According to Lt Col Rob Schoeneberg, Bomber Task Force Commander: 'Our Royal Air Force friends are integral to the 509th Bomb Wing mission.
'The beauty of our partnerships is that we get to understand how they see the world. Working alongside international fifth generation aircraft provides unique training opportunities for us, bolsters our integration capabilities, and showcases the commitment we have to our NATO alliance.'
Last week, the B-2s conducted a training mission in the Arctic Circle - the furthest north they have ever operated in Europe, according to US Strategic Command.
The aircraft conducted a night midair refuelling exercise before returning to RAF Fairford.
The B-2 Spirit bomber first flew in 1989 and has set the record for the longest ever combat mission at 44 hours in 2001 - hours after the 9/11 attacks.
According to the US Air Force: 'The B-2 bombers, part of the Bomber Task Force currently deployed to the U.S. European Command area of responsibility, are from the 509th Bomb Wing, Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri. The aircraft arrived in theater on Aug. 27, and are temporarily operating out of RAF Fairford. The deployment of strategic bombers to the U.K. helps exercise RAF Fairford as U.S. Air Forces in Europe’s forward operating location for bombers.
'Strategic bomber missions enhance the readiness and training necessary to respond to any potential crisis or challenge across the globe.'
Steve King, who was among the crowd, said: 'It was quite a sight, as they are a unique and weird UFO-type looking planes.
Mr King, 37, from Swindon, Wiltshire, added: 'I’d say roughly it was about 50ft above me.
Three of the B2 bombers - which cost $135,000-an-hour to operate - have been involved a a series of NATO training missings.
The planes, which use the callsigns DEATH 1, DEATH 2 and DEATH 3 are temporarily based at RAF Fairford as part of a series of NATO training exercises. The aircraft touched down in Gloucestershire on August 27. 'Living fairly local to the air base I am a regular visitor when these exercises take place.'
With a 172-foot wingspan and a design that allows them to travel 10,000 miles with only one mid-air re-fueling, so that they could bypass Soviet air defence systems, they are one of the most deadly warplane models in the sky.
First designed under the Carter Administration, originally 132 were ordered by the United States. However, this was quickly scaled back following the collapse of the Soviet Union.
© Provided by Associated Newspapers Limited They are capable of carrying nuclear bombs as well as conventional explosives and were designed to be able to deliver a payload to the Soviet Union as they could evade their air defence system due to their ability to fly 10,000 miles and only need to refuel once
During their training missions, the B-2s have flown with RAF F-35s, landed in Iceland at Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland in August and performed hot-pit refuelling training on the Azores. During hot-pit refuelling, ground crew replenish the aircraft's fuel supply while the engines are running.
According to Lt Col Rob Schoeneberg, Bomber Task Force Commander: 'Our Royal Air Force friends are integral to the 509th Bomb Wing mission.
'The beauty of our partnerships is that we get to understand how they see the world. Working alongside international fifth generation aircraft provides unique training opportunities for us, bolsters our integration capabilities, and showcases the commitment we have to our NATO alliance.'
Last week, the B-2s conducted a training mission in the Arctic Circle - the furthest north they have ever operated in Europe, according to US Strategic Command.
The aircraft conducted a night midair refuelling exercise before returning to RAF Fairford.
The B-2 Spirit bomber first flew in 1989 and has set the record for the longest ever combat mission at 44 hours in 2001 - hours after the 9/11 attacks.
According to the US Air Force: 'The B-2 bombers, part of the Bomber Task Force currently deployed to the U.S. European Command area of responsibility, are from the 509th Bomb Wing, Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri. The aircraft arrived in theater on Aug. 27, and are temporarily operating out of RAF Fairford. The deployment of strategic bombers to the U.K. helps exercise RAF Fairford as U.S. Air Forces in Europe’s forward operating location for bombers.
'Strategic bomber missions enhance the readiness and training necessary to respond to any potential crisis or challenge across the globe.'
