{"id":38365,"date":"2021-10-05T21:43:31","date_gmt":"2021-10-05T21:43:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/uncategorized\/2021\/10\/05\/inside-the-b-52s-deployment-to-support-the-afghanistan-withdrawal\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T21:11:14","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T21:11:14","slug":"inside-the-b-52s-deployment-to-support-the-afghanistan-withdrawal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/news\/your-air-force\/2021\/10\/05\/inside-the-b-52s-deployment-to-support-the-afghanistan-withdrawal\/","title":{"rendered":"Inside the B-52s\u2019 deployment to support the Afghanistan withdrawal"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The B-52 bombers finished America\u2019s longest war in much the same way as they began: carrying airmen called to military service in the aftermath of 9\/11, hunting Taliban fighters through the mountains of Afghanistan and watching as the seat of government in Kabul changed hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After 20 years of counterterrorism operations in Southwest Asia, the Stratofortresses\u2019 five-month tour to assist the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan was a last-ditch effort for America\u2019s oldest bomber to secure some stability in the final days of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Six B-52s and around 300 airmen from the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, deployed to Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar from April to September as the sole B-52 unit taking part in the withdrawal. That group \u2014 named the 23rd Expeditionary Bomb Squadron while abroad \u2014 flew more than 3,100 hours and 240 combat sorties during the deployment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A B-52 Stratofortress arrives at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, from Qatar, Sept. 10, 2021. The two aircrews that returned were from the 23rd Bomb Squadron at Minot. (Airman 1st Class Saomy Sabournin\/Air Force)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For all but three airmen, it was their first time participating in a conflict that has defined modern combat since 2001.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor the vast majority of the squadron, this wasn\u2019t going back,\u201d Lt. Col. Michael Middents, 23rd Bomb Squadron commander, told Air Force Times Sept. 30. \u201cThis was going for the first time, and for a war that, really, we\u2019ve kind of seen from the sidelines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They didn\u2019t expect to be there. The bomb squadron, one of two under the 5th Bomb Wing, was preparing for a stint at Mor\u00f3n Air Base in Spain as part of a task force to reassure allies and deter potential threats in the region. Then U.S. Central Command warned they might reroute to Qatar instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs they were looking at the plan on how they needed to withdraw all the U.S. and coalition forces out of Afghanistan, they saw that the bomber brings so much to them,\u201d Middents said. \u201cBombers \u2014 the B-52 in particular \u2014 offer things that other platforms can\u2019t: precision strike, long-range capability \u2026 and then also the persistent time on station.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minot airmen had about two weeks to get ready for the Afghanistan mission. They collaborated with joint terminal attack controllers (JTACs), the special tactics airmen trained to call in airstrikes from the ground, found another squadron to handle the Spain deployment and were packing the bombers when they got the call to go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eighteen hours later, they touched down in Qatar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOne of my guys landed from that 18-hour sortie getting over there, he walked out, he was all smiles and said, \u2018This is why I signed up. This is what I wanted to do,\u2019\u201d Middents said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The expeditionary squadron took four days to adjust their sleep schedules for combat in a new time zone and to understand the rules of engagement. Then they headed out on an unarmed flight to announce their presence with airborne loops over Kabul in the east and Kandahar in the south.<\/p>\n\n\n\t