"Boeing B-52 evolves again with guided weapons launcher" Topic

"On 16 January 1991, seven Boeing B-52Gs fully loaded with AGM-86C conventional air-launched cruise missiles took flight from Barksdale AFB in Louisiana on a top-secret mission to destroy targets inside Iraq.

Those 35h missions were the first combat sorties of Operation Desert Storm. Lesser known is that the mission, dubbed Secret Squirrel, also marked the combat debut of the AGM-86C, with 35 weapons fired and 85-95% of targets successfully destroyed, according to the US air force.

A derivative of the nuclear-tipped AGM-86B, the B-52G would not have been deployed if only armed with nuclear cruise missiles and unguided bombs. Now, 25 years on, Boeing has delivered six modified rotary launchers that will again revolutionise how the veteran B-52 strategic bomber is used in combat…"
Full article here
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Amicalement
Armand

Love that code name!

Thanks for sharing, Armand.

Hadn't heard about this raid before. Being able to fly 35 hours for a mission on the other side of the globe certainly sends a strong message about our strategic capabilities.

Also, good news to hear about the upgrades being done, and their ability to launch more modern decoys and jammers for the old Quail systems.

My guess is these will still be flying, a full century after they were first introduced, which is amazing, for any weapons system.

Happy you enjoyed the article my good friend!. (smile)

Venerable plane!

Amicalement
Armand