The US will send its nuclear-capable B-52 warplanes for the first time to bomb ISIS under the efforts to ramp up the campaign against terrorists in Syria and Iraq. According to the Air Force Times, The B-52 Stratofortress can start dropping bombs on the Islamic State group from April.
The officials said at an Air Force Association Conference, that, the bombers will be headed to the Central Command area of operations. They will replace the B-1 Lancers. The last of them will return in January. The number of B-52s or airmen, who will be deployed for the potential operation under Air Force Global Strike Command is unclear now.
The deputy chief of staff for strategic plans and requirements, Lt Gen James \'Mike\' Holmes, said during the last month, that, \"we are going to keep the B-52 around. It provides some missions for us that are hard to replicate, primarily the range and payload the airplane provides.\"
B-52, nicknamed the \"Big Ugly Fat Fella\" or BUFF. It has a payload capacity of 70,000 pounds, that includes \"gravity bombs, cluster bombs, precision guided (cruise) missiles and joint direct attack munitions\".
- Nandini
