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Ammo Airmen support OIR one bomb at a time

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Kia Atkins
  • 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
AL UDEID AIR BASE, Qatar --  When bombs dropped from B-1B Lancers hit their targets, the B-1 pilots have successfully accomplished a mission. Unlike in videogames, these aircraft don’t have unlimited munitions—they need to be restocked. Before they can be restocked— they need to be built.

And when it comes to building bombs, Ammo Airmen assigned to the 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron here, know exactly what’s required to meet the high demand for mission-ready bombs.

“We start by breaking out all of our components, then we load the bombs onto a mission assembly conveyor where we put the fuses, initiators, fins and all the other components onto the bomb,” said Staff Sgt. Richard Brooks, 379th EMXS munitions technician deployed from Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D. “After everything is assembled, we load the bombs onto trailers that will be taken out to the flightline to resupply the B-1s.”

Day in and day out, Ammo Airmen work around the clock to build bombs that enable B-1 operators to deliver decisive air power to designated targets. This includes the bombs being dropped as part of the coalition fight against Da’ish or more commonly known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) targets in the region, which has led to an increased demand for bombs.

“The first time I was here back in 2009, we dropped 150 bombs in a six-month period,” Brooks said. “This rotation, we've only been here a month and we've already dropped four times that.”

For every individual munition expenditure made by the B-1, Ammo Airmen build one—which can mean they are building anywhere between six and 12 Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs) at a time. The JDAMs built by these Airmen are the GBU-38 and GBU-54, which are 500 pound bombs, and GBU-31 versions one and three, which are 2,000 pound bombs.

“For every bomb dropped, we build one, but I love it,” Brooks said. “I love my job. I love building bombs. The greatest satisfaction I have is when I see a completed bomb and knowing that they’re going to go ‘Boom’ when they hit their targets.”

These Airmen work 12 hours a day, seven days a week and provide 24 hour coverage to ensure the B-1s munitions are always ready when needed for airstrikes in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. With bombs being dropped almost daily against ISIL targets, the work-load of these dedicated Airmen has more than tripled.

“When we’re out here everything is live and ready to go, at homestation it’s training, training, training, training. This is our business. This is what we do here,” said Senior Airman Anthony Anderson, 379th EMXS munitions inspector, deployed from Ellsworth AFB, S.D.

Regardless of the workload, these dedicated and hardworking Airmen take pride in what they do to support operations in the region.

"I always feel a sense of pride, especially when I hear a B-1 taking off and the roar it makes,” said Anderson. “It gives me a sense of accomplishment whenever I see anything in the news about airstrikes, because I know they most likely came from this area. It’s great to see how what I do on a daily basis impacts the mission.”