B-52s and more than 250 airmen from Barksdale AFB, La., returned home on March 13 after participating in exercises across Europe, including Exercise Cold Response 16 and the French-led Serpentex. “Exercises like Cold Response and Serpentex sustain and strengthen operational and coordination capabilities between allies,” Lt. Col. Dennis Cummings, 20th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron commander, said in a release. “It is through these joint-efforts that we develop a capacity for working together smoothly and efficiently.” About 16,000 troops from 12 NATO nations took part in Cold Response, which was focused on air, ground, and maritime operations in Norway and Mediterranean Sea. As part of Serpentex, B-52s and French fighters conducted close air support training with joint terminal attack controllers from a dozen nations, according to the release.
While the Sentinel ICBM program writ large is undergoing a major restructure due to cost and schedule overages, prime contractor Northrop Grumman is touting progress on milestones with the missile itself.
