Bayou Vigilance: Why The USAF Landed 2 B-52 Bombers At Chennault International Airport

Bayou Vigilance: Why The USAF Landed 2 B-52 Bombers At Chennault International Airport

• B-52 Stratofortress landed at civilian airport for training, signifying readiness and adaptability in global operations.
• Expect the warplane to remain in service until 2050 after Rolls-Royce engine upgrade.
• Airport partnership with military showcases shared values and importance of defense-civilian relationship.

Non-military personnel don’t typically get to see the U.S. Air Force’s Boeing B-52 Stratofortress strategic bomber AKA the “BUFF” (Big Ugly Fat Fellow in polite company, Big Ugly Fat F*cker in not-so-polite company) take off and land in-person unless they happen to be invited to a military airshow.

However, on April 12, 2024, thanks to a Barksdale Air Force Base (BAFB) exercise dubbed Bayou Vigilance, passengers and employees at a civilian airport, namely Chennault International Airport in Lake Charles, Louisiana, which is a stone’s throw – 161 miles (259.1 km) as the crow flies – from BAFB, became rare exceptions to the rule and got to experience the thrill of welcoming not just one but indeed two B-52s from BAFB that touched down at Chennault’s stomping grounds (or landing ground if you prefer).

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The Basics

As the 2nd Bomb Wing (BW) Public Affairs office at Barksdale AFB (BAFB) revealed in a press release, the planes belong to the 20th Bomb Squadron (BS) of the 2nd BW.

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Regarding the airport, perhaps there is something poetically apropos about the fact that this civilian airport was named for a military aviation hero, the late great Gen. Claire Chennault, who commanded the legendary American Volunteer Group (AVG) AKA the “Flying Tigers” with their iconic shark mouth-painted P-40s.

The Why and the Wherefore

The spirit and intent of Bayou Vigilance is to increase the readiness and lethality of the BUFF crews by simulating combat operations and demonstrating the ability to respond to strategic attacks. A key part & parcel of this readiness is the ability to operate in austere environments by landing and taking off at a civilian airfield, which made Chennault’s proximity to BAFB delightfully convenient. Both Air & Space Forces Magazine and the aforementioned 2nd BW press release and SrA Watson accordingly quote Lt. Col. Jared Patterson, 20th BS commander:

““When it comes to nuclear war, all bets are off and we need to be prepared to adapt to the current situation. By demonstrating our ability to land at a civilian airfield, we’re demonstrating our ability to conduct operations. We are demonstrating a capability, and that capability is to land a B-52 anywhere across the globe. So yes, we’re doing it close to home this time around, but this proved we can do it anywhere around the globe.”

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How Many B-52 Bombers Are In The USAF Today?

After fitting its Boeing B-52s with new Rolls-Royce engines, the USAF expects the plane to remain in service until 2050. Close

Meanwhile, Chennault International Airport executive director Kevin Melton conveyed his pleasure between the military, local authorities, and civil airfield personnel:

“The 2nd BW and Chennault International Airport partnership is significant because it provides the wing an alternate location for training and operations, while at the same time demonstrating the viability and importance of the Department of Defense – civilian relationship. It shows we are a team founded on similar core values, which at the end of the day ensures our nation is protected by a formidable fighting force second to none.”

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Some quick facts about the Stratofortress

The “BUFF” is a warplane that obviously needs no introduction to our readers who are military history buffs (bad pun intended), but for the sake of our readers who haven’t brushed up om the subject, here are a few specifications, courtesy of Boeing, that help drive home (1) just how big the bomber truly is and (2) just how challenging it is to land and accommodate such a behemoth on a civilian airstrip not designed with such a warbird in mind (bad poetry unintended):

• Fuselage length: 159 ft, 4 in (48.5 m)

• Wingspan: 185 ft (56.4 m)

• Height: 40 ft, 8 in (12.4 m)

• Empty Weight: Approximately 185,000 lbs (83,250 kg)

• Max takeoff weight: 488,000 lbs (219,600 kg)

• Fuel capacity: 312,197 lbs (141,610 kg)

• Payload: 70,000 lbs (31,500 kg)

The specific model covered herein is the B-52H, which is the only version of the “BUFF” that’s still in service; the H made her maiden flight in July 1960 and stands out from her predecessor variants via, among other things, the omission of the tail guns.

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To learn more about two other legendary Boeing heavy bombers, click here and here.