The Missouri Air National Guard’s 131st Bomb Wing (formerly the 131st Fighter Wing) flies the wing’s first solo B-2 bomber sortie since taking on the new mission. The Air Force decided in 2006 to pair the ANG unit with the active duty 509th BW at Whiteman AFB, Mo., after BRAC 2005 stripped the wing of its F-15 fighters. The 131st BW is the first ANG unit to fly bombers since 2001, when USAF reorganized its B-1B bomber, eliminating two ANG wings.
Earlier this spring, the 388th Fighter Wing proved just 12 Airmen can operate an F-35 contingency location, refueling and rearming the fighters at spots across Georgia and South Carolina. The demonstration, part of exercise Agile Flag 23-1, marks yet another proof of concept for the Air Force’s plan to send…