The U.S. Air Force and the B-52 Bomber: Operations and Command Structure

The B-52 bomber is one of the longest-serving and most versatile aircraft in the U.S. military arsenal. Currently, the operational fleet comprises the B-52H model, with 58 such aircraft in existence, all deployed under the United States Air Force (USAF), specifically the Air Force’s Global Strike Command (GSC).

Operational Command Structure

Under the GSC, the B-52H aircraft are managed by the Eight Air Force. However, it's worth noting that the GSC also oversees another command, the Twentieth Air Force, which operates the Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) fleet, while the Eighth Air Force focuses on all bomber operations.

B-52 Operations and Deployment

The Eighth Air Force is further divided into three primary wings, each consisting of multiple squadrons dedicated to the operation of the B-52H bombers:

2nd Bomb Wing (2nd BW), located at Barksdale Air Force Base (AFB), Louisiana, flying three squadrons: 11th Bomb Squadron (11th BS) 20th Bomb Squadron (20th BS) 96th Bomb Squadron (96th BS)

5th Bomb Wing (5th BW), based at Minot AFB, North Dakota, also comprises three squadrons:

23rd Bomb Squadron (23rd BS) 69th Bomb Squadron (69th BS) 307th Bomb Wing (307th BW)

The 307th Bomb Wing is part of the Air Force Reserve Command, although it shares its base at Barksdale AFB. This wing also operates two squadrons:

93rd Bomb Squadron (93rd BS) 343rd Bomb Squadron (343rd BS)

In addition to the B-52 units mentioned above, the Eighth Air Force also controls the 7th and 28th Bomb Wings, which operate the B-1B Lancer bombers, and the 509th Bomb Wing, which flies the B-2A Spirit stealth bombers.

Historical Overview

From 1955 to 1992, the B-52s were managed by the USAF's Strategic Air Command (SAC), a command that was later disbanded. In 1992, the B-52s were transferred to the Air Combat Command, which continued to manage them until 2009. At that time, the Global Strike Command (GSC) was established as a direct successor to SAC, and it now oversees the B-52H bombers as well as other strategic assets.

Conclusion

Only the USAF has ever operated the B-52 bomber in a primary operational role. While NASA has experimented with B-52s for various research purposes, and no other branch of the U.S. military has flown heavy strategic bombers, the USAF has maintained and improved the B-52 fleet, ensuring its continued relevance in modern warfare.