B-2 bomber crews deployed to Andersen AFB, Guam, turned around within a few days to test their long-duration sortie capability. The mission—dubbed “Polar Lightning”—required a two-ship formation to complete a mission at a training range in Alaska, resulting in a 9,800 nautical mile round trip from Andersen. Typical combat missions for the B-2 last 30 hours, according to unit officials. Air Force journalist TSgt. Mikal Canfield reports that mission preparation includes everything from aerial refueling arrangements to the rest plan and high-protein meals needed by the pilots.
The U.S., South Korea, and Japan flew an unusual trilateral flight with two U.S. B-52H Stratofortress bombers escorted by two Japan Air Self-Defense Force F-2s, and two ROK Air Force KF-16 fighters—both countries’ respective variants of the F-16—July 11. That same weekend, the top military officers of the three nations…