Tigers' roar heard throughout the AOR

Published June 8, 2008
By Senior Airman Tong Duong
379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Minutes from their target, four crewmembers in a B-1 Lancer brace themselves as their aircraft fights turbulence. Bouncing and jolting against the bumps as they roll through the clouds in the skies of the Middle East. Circling the troops below, the weapons system officer focuses his eyes to find the target on radar while the pilots push all four engines into afterburner to gain speed for the attack run.

From South Dakota to the Horn of Africa, from Iraq to Afghanistan, the roar of the Tigers can be heard throughout U.S. Central Command.

Always on the prowl, members of the 37th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, deployed from Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., provide close air support for troops on the ground, which could mean anything from a low pass to dropping munitions.

"From this base, the Tigers stand ready to strike anywhere in the Middle East in a matter of hours," said Lt. Col. Kirk Hunsaker, 37th EBS commander. "In the last two weeks of January, the 37th Tigers dropped more than 90 tons of precision guided munitions."

With the B-1B's superior payload and flexible munitions configuration, it can deploy in all weather day or night and, with the support of air refueling the crew has an unlimited range and loiter time, said Lt. Col. John Nichols, 37th EBS director of operations.

The B-1 can carry more bombs than any other weapon system and can get them to the fight much faster.

B-1s carry a variety of air-to-ground munitions that include 'dumb' bombs such as the Mk82s/84s; 'smart' bombs, a bomb with a guidance system and movable tail section to guide it to the target; and cruise missiles.

"The B-1s get the mission accomplished through the integration of U.S. and Coalition Forces to prosecute close air support for the needs of our ground troops," said 1st Lt. Bishane Whitmore, 37th EBS weapons system officer. "This is done through weapons targeting, shows of force and taking the fight to the bad guys."

During their rotation here, the Tigers have flown more than 370 sorties in support of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom and dropped 279 tons of munitions--more than any other weapon system in Iraq and Afghanistan. They have also responded to 254 troops-in-contact situations supporting servicemembers taking fire on the ground; and destroyed an Al' Qaida torture chamber and large weapons cache in Iraq.

"While the squadron has not set any records as far as weapons expended or flying hours, the 37th has definitely left our mark here. From remodeling the squadron buildings to the myriad of volunteer programs we participated in, the Tigers are leading the pack," said Captain Brett Sailsbery, 37th EBS B-1 pilot.

In addition to the contributions on base, the Tigers have also left their mark by completing the mission with the ground troops down range.

"After every sortie [we fly], we get thanked for our help," he said. "Ground forces typically apologize to us if they don't have anything for us to drop bombs on; which is a good thing because they are safe."

The squadron supports not only U.S. forces, but also coalition forces, including British, Spanish, French, German, Polish, Afghani and Iraqi.

Contributing to the overall Air Force mission has always been what the Tigers do best. Since 1913, the 37th has provided decisive air support wherever and whenever called upon.