All language subtitles for air.warriors.s04e02.b-52.internal.720p.web.h264-underbelly[eztv]

Narrator: IT'S BIG, FAST,

AND IT'S KNOWN TO DELIVER
THE KNOCKOUT PUNCH.

Woman: THE B-52 IS ABLE TO HOUSE
AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF WEAPONS.

Narrator:
ITS SPECIALTY: DISTANCE.

Man: NOBODY REALLY KNEW WE HAD
THAT GLOBAL REACH.

Narrator: THE B-52
STRATOFORTRESS WAS DESIGNED

TO CARRY THE AIR FORCE'S
MOST DANGEROUS PAYLOAD.

Man: IF ONE CRASHED
AND A NUCLEAR WEAPON WENT OFF,

IT COULD'VE MEANT
WORLD WAR III.

Narrator:
THIS 60-YEAR-OLD BOMBER

HAS BEEN FIGHTING LONGER
THAN ANY OTHER U.S. AIRCRAFT.

Man: ANY GIANT IS VULNERABLE.

WE'RE LIKE DUCKS
IN A SHOOTING GALLERY.

Narrator: AGAINST A CONSTANTLY
CHANGING BATTLEFIELD,

IT'S ADAPT OR DIE.

Man: WITH THE B-52
WE WERE DOING SOMETHING

WE HAD NEVER, EVER DONE BEFORE.

Narrator: 2003.

A U.S.-LED COALITION
MOVES INTO IRAQ.

[GUNFIRE]

THEIR GOAL: TO REMOVE DICTATOR
SADDAM HUSSEIN FROM POWER.

George Bush: SADDAM HUSSEIN
MUST LEAVE IRAQ WITHIN 48 HOURS.

REFUSAL TO DO SO WILL RESULT
IN MILITARY CONFLICT.

[EXPLOSION]

Narrator:
SADDAM ISN'T WILLING TO GO.

HE COMMANDS HIS FORCES TO LAUNCH

MORE THAN A THOUSAND
SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILES

TOWARDS ALLIED AIRCRAFT.

THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY TO TAKE OUT
THE MISSILE SITES: BOMBING.

SO THE AIR FORCE SENDS IN
ITS MOST RELIABLE BOMBER:

THE B-52 STRATOFORTRESS.

THE B-52: IT'S A LEGEND
AMONG AIRCRAFT.

FOR MORE THAN A HALF A CENTURY

IT'S LED THE WAY IN EVERY
MAJOR U.S. BOMBING CAMPAIGN.

Seifert: SO, THIS IS
THE B-52H STRATOFORTRESS.

HERE IN THE COMMUNITY,
WE CALL IT THE BUFF,

WHICH STANDS
FOR BIG, UGLY, FAT FELLOW,

ALTHOUGH THAT ACRONYM
IS OPEN TO INTERPRETATION.

Narrator: THE B-52 IS
156 FEET LONG, 40 FEET TALL.

EACH WING MEASURES
4,000 SQUARE FEET.

IT'S ONE OF THE LARGEST BOMBERS
IN AIR FORCE HISTORY,

AND IT PACKS A DEADLY PUNCH.

Seifert:
THE B-52'S GREATEST STRENGTH

HAS ALWAYS BEEN
ITS ORDNANCE CAPABILITY.

IT'S BEEN DESIGNED TO CARRY
REALLY ANY TYPE OF WEAPON

IN THE AIR FORCE INVENTORY.

Narrator: THE B-52 CARRIES
WEAPONS ALL OVER ITS AIRFRAME.

EACH WING HOLDS
UP TO NINE WEAPONS...

MISSILES, MINES, SMART
AND LASER-GUIDED BOMBS.

INSIDE THERE'S ROOM FOR 27 MORE,

AS WELL AS 8
NUCLEAR CRUISE MISSILES.

THIS GIVES THE BUFF
A MASSIVE PAYLOAD

OF DIFFERENT
WEAPON CONFIGURATIONS.

THE B-52 CARRIES
70,000 POUNDS OF WEAPONS,

MORE THAN ANY OTHER PLANE
IN THE AIR FORCE ARSENAL.

Seifert: IT WOULD TAKE
FIGHTERS MULTIPLE TIMES

TO DO WHAT WE CAN DO
IN ONE PASS.

Narrator: IN IRAQ,
THE QUESTION ISN'T

HOW MUCH THE B-52 CAN CARRY,

IT'S "CAN IT BE PRECISE?"

APRIL 2003.

FAIRFORD AIR FORCE BASE,
ENGLAND.

TWO B-52 BOMBERS LINE UP
ON THE TARMAC.

Trey Morriss: THE MAIN OBJECTIVE
FOR THE USE OF THE B-52

WAS GEARED TOWARDS
RADAR CONTROL FACILITIES

OR COMMAND AND CONTROL
FACILITIES.

Narrator: COLONEL TREY MORRISS
HAS FLOWN IN THE B-52

FOR OVER 25 YEARS.

Morriss: WHEN YOU GET INTO THESE

DENSELY POPULATED AREAS
LIKE BAGHDAD,

WE'RE REALLY WORRIED
ABOUT THE CIVILIAN POPULATION

OR ANY KIND
OF OUTLYING FACILITIES

THAT WE DON'T WANT TO DESTROY.

Narrator: BUT THE BUFF ENTERS
WITH A REPUTATION.

SINCE VIETNAM
IT'S BEEN CONSIDERED

AN IMPRECISE
AND INDISCRIMINATE BOMBER.

IN OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM,

MORRIS AND HIS SQUADRON ARE
DETERMINED TO PROVE OTHERWISE.

Morriss: WE WANT TO FLIP
THIS STIGMA AROUND

AND MAKE EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND
THAT THE B-52 CAN BE

JUST AS PRECISE AS ANY OTHER
PLATFORM OUT THERE.

Narrator: 7:00 AM.

MORRISS' B-52 TAKES OFF
TOWARDS IRAQ,

ITS TARGET STILL UNKNOWN.

Morriss: WE KNEW THAT WE WOULD
BE ASSIGNED TARGETS

ONCE WE ARRIVED IN THE REGION.

WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT TYPE
OF CIVILIAN POPULATION

MIGHT BE AROUND THAT TARGET
UNTIL WE GET THERE.

Narrator: AS THE CREW APPROACHES
THE IRAQI BORDER,

A CALL COMES IN
FROM COMMAND AND CONTROL.

AN IRAQI RADAR HAS BEEN LOCATED
ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF TIKRIT.

IT'S THE B-52'S JOB
TO DESTROY IT.

THE ONLY PROBLEM: THE RADAR IS
SURROUNDED BY OTHER BUILDINGS.

Morriss: THE PLANNERS
AND THE STRATEGISTS

NEEDED JUST THIS SPECIFIC
BUILDING TO BE DESTROYED

AND NOT THE OTHER OUTLYING
BUILDINGS AROUND IT.

Narrator: MORRISS' TEAM IS READY
FOR THE CHALLENGE.

THEIR B-52 IS ARMED
WITH A BRAND NEW UPGRADE:

THE ADVANCED TARGETING POD.

THE TARGETING POD PUTS
STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGY

ON THE AIR FORCE'S
OLDEST AIRFRAME.

IT DISPLAYS A HIGH-RES INFRARED
IMAGE OF THE TARGET AREA.

THIS ALLOWS THE NAVIGATOR
TO LOCATE TARGETS

OVER TEN MILES AWAY.

Lohman: EVEN FROM 40,000 FEET
I CAN ACTUALLY I.D. A TARGET

AND FEEL COMFORTABLE PUTTING
A WEAPON ON THAT TARGET.

Narrator: THEN, THE NAVIGATOR
USES THE POD

TO STEER A LASER-GUIDED BOMB.

Lohman: I CAN ACTUALLY CONTROL
WHERE THAT WEAPON IS GOING TO GO

USING THE INTEGRATED
TRACK HANDLE

THAT YOU CAN SEE HERE.

Narrator: IT'S A TECHNOLOGY
THAT SHOULD ALLOW THE BUFF

TO BOMB WITH PRECISION,
IF IT WORKS.

Morriss: AT THIS POINT THERE HAD
ONLY BEEN ABOUT 12 MISSIONS

EVEN FLOWN TESTING AND TRAINING,

SO WE FELT THERE WAS
A LOT TO PROVE.

Narrator: 30 MILES FROM TIKRIT,

COLONEL MORRISS' B-52
LOOKS FOR AN ENEMY RADAR.

Morriss:
YOU CAN SEE THE TARGET AREA,

YOU CAN INDIVIDUALLY SEE
BUILDINGS,

YOU CAN SEE CARS
DRIVING UP AROUND THE STREETS.

Narrator: THE BUFF'S NAVIGATOR
USES HIS LASER

TO LOCATE THE TARGET.

BUT THERE'S ANOTHER FACTOR
HE HAS TO ACCOUNT FOR: WEATHER.

Morriss: THROUGH THE TV SCREEN
HE CAN SEE WIND BLOWING DUST.

SO HE NEEDS TO ADJUST
THAT LASER DESIGNATION POINT

TO ACCOUNT FOR WIND.

Narrator: THE NAVIGATOR
LOCKS THE TARGETING LASER

ON TO THE RADAR FACILITY.

HE READIES
THE LASER-GUIDED BOMB...

AND FIRES.

Morriss: YOU CAN FEEL IT.

THERE'S A DEFINITE JOLT
IN THE AIRPLANE

WHEN A WEAPON
LEAVES AN AIRCRAFT.

Narrator: THE FIVE-MAN CREW
WAITS ANXIOUSLY.

IT TAKES THE BOMB ALMOST
A MINUTE TO REACH THE GROUND.

Morriss: MY MAIN CONCERN WAS,
IS THIS WEAPON, AS IT'S FALLING,

GOING TO PERFORM
LIKE WE WANT IT TO?

Narrator:
THE NAVIGATOR CONCENTRATES

ON KEEPING
THE TARGETING POD STEADY.

THE LIVES OF INNOCENT CIVILIANS
ARE IN HIS HANDS.

Morriss: HE'S GIVING US UPDATES
THROUGH THAT TIMING.

YOU KNOW, HE'S SAYING
25 SECONDS, 20, 10, 5,

AND WHEN HE WENT DOWN TO ZERO,
THE WEAPON DIDN'T DETONATE.

THERE WAS ABOUT
3 SECONDS OF TERROR

OF WHAT HAPPENED TO THE WEAPON?

AND FINALLY YOU SEE IT
COME INTO THE TV SCREEN.

WHEN THE WEAPON HIT THAT TARGET

EXACTLY IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE BUILDING,

IT WAS A GREAT FEELING,

NO COLLATERAL DAMAGE,
AND IT STRUCK WITH PRECISION.

Narrator:
OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM

GIVES B-52 PILOTS SOMETHING NEW
TO BOAST ABOUT:

THEY'RE AS ACCURATE
AS ANY OTHER PRECISION BOMBER.

Morriss: THE CRITICS OF THE B-52
OFTEN FELT THAT THE POD

WAS NOT THE PROPER CAPABILITY
TO PUT ON THIS PLATFORM

BECAUSE IT WAS THE MINDSET WAS
THAT IS A FIGHTER CAPABILITY.

BUT IT'S OBVIOUS THE RESULTS
SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.

THE B-52 IS JUST NOT
A MASS BOMBER ANYMORE.

IT IS A PRECISE WEAPON.

Narrator: PRECISION BOMBING:
IT'S THE LATEST TACTIC

OF A PLANE BUILT TO FIGHT
A VERY DIFFERENT KIND OF WAR.

AUGUST 1945.
WORLD WAR II.

A U.S. B-29 BOMBER DROPS
THE FIRST-EVER NUCLEAR BOMB

OVER HIROSHIMA, JAPAN.

THREE DAYS LATER, IT DROPS
ANOTHER ON NAGASAKI.

THE RESULTS CHANGE THE NATURE
OF MODERN WARFARE.

CONFLICTS CAN NOW BE WON OR LOST
BY A SINGLE BOMB.

ENGINEERS WORK AGGRESSIVELY

TO DEVELOP HEAVIER,
MORE POWERFUL WARHEADS.

BUT THE AIR FORCE'S GO-TO BOMBER
STRUGGLES TO KEEP UP.

Layne Karafantis:
THE B-29 WAS RELIANT

UPON HAVING
OFFSHORE MILITARY BASES,

AND OFTENTIMES COULDN'T EVEN
RETURN TO THOSE BASES

ONCE THEY HAD DROPPED
THEIR PAYLOADS.

Narrator: LAYNE KARAFANTIS
IS THE CURATOR

OF MODERN MILITARY AIRCRAFT

AT THE SMITHSONIAN
NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM.

Karafantis: THE AIR FORCE NEEDED
TO BUILD AN AIRCRAFT

THAT WAS GOING TO BE ABLE
TO LEAVE THE UNITED STATES,

GO TO ENEMY TERRITORY,
DROP NUCLEAR WARHEADS

AND RETURN HOME
ALL IN ONE FLIGHT.

Narrator: FEBRUARY 1946.

THE PENTAGON.

THE AIR FORCE MAKES A REQUEST
FOR A NEW LONG-RANGE BOMBER.

MARTIN, CONVAIR, AND BOEING
MAKE A BID FOR THE JOB.

THE REQUEST CALLS
FOR AN AIRCRAFT

WITH A SPEED
OF 300 MILES PER HOUR,

A 5,000-MILE COMBAT RADIUS,

AND A 10,000-POUND
NUCLEAR BOMB PAYLOAD.

Bill Yenne:
IT WAS WIDELY ASSUMED

THAT IF THERE WAS
ANOTHER WORLD WAR,

IT WOULD BE A NUCLEAR WAR.

Narrator: BILL YENNE
IS AN AIR FORCE HISTORIAN

AND AUTHOR ON THE B-52.

Yenne: IF WE'RE GOING TO BE
SENDING BOMBERS

INTO THE ENEMY HEARTLAND,

IT WAS GOING TO BE SENDING THEM
IN WITH NUCLEAR WEAPONS.

Narrator: ENGINEERS STRUGGLE
TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS.

PROTOTYPES ARE EITHER TOO FAST
TO HAVE RELIABLE RANGE

OR TOO HEAVY
TO OUTRUN THE ENEMY.

Yenne: THE DEVELOPMENT
OF BOMBERS HAS ALWAYS BEEN

ABOUT THE THREE CHALLENGES
OF SPEED, PAYLOAD AND RANGE.

AS YOU ADD TO ONE, YOU HAVE TO
SUBTRACT FROM ANOTHER.

Narrator: SOMETHING ELSE ADDS
TO THE PRESSURE...

THE COLD WAR.

THE U.S. MUST ACT FAST
TO MAINTAIN THE UPPER HAND.

Yenne: THE IDEA
FOR AN INTERCONTINENTAL BOMBER

DID NOT OCCUR IN A VACUUM.

THE SOVIET UNION WAS DOING
EXACTLY THE SAME THING

AT EXACTLY THE SAME TIME.

Narrator: GLOBAL DOMINANCE
RELIES ON ONE THING...

Man: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1...

Narrator: WHO CAN GET
THEIR BOMBS IN THE AIR FIRST?

1948.

BOEING WINS A CONTRACT
FOR THE NEW AIR FORCE BOMBER.

FOUR YEARS LATER,
IN SEATTLE, WASHINGTON,

THEY REVEAL THE NEW PLANE
TO THE PUBLIC.

Yenne: THE B-52 DESIGN AS IT WAS
PRESENTED, APPROVED, AND ORDERED

WAS THE LARGEST JET AIRPLANE

THAT HAD EVER BEEN,
EVER BEEN PRESENTED SERIOUSLY.

AT THAT TIME JET AIRCRAFT
WITH TWO OR FOUR ENGINES

WERE PUSHING THE EDGE
OF THE ENVELOPE.

B-52 WAS DESIGNED
WITH EIGHT ENGINES.

IT HAD MORE POWER,
REMARKABLE DESIGN.

Narrator: THE B-52 ISN'T
JUST BIG, IT'S FAST.

THANKS TO EIGHT
TURBOFAN ENGINES,

THE 185,000-POUND BEAST FLIES
OVER 600 MILES PER HOUR.

Seifert: THE B-52 HAS 8
PRATT AND WHITNEY TF-33 ENGINES

FOR A TOTAL OF 136,000 POUNDS
OF THRUST.

Narrator: ENGINES GIVE THE BUFF
POWER, WINGS GIVE IT RANGE.

AT 185 FEET LONG, THE BUFF'S
WINGS ALLOW FOR INCREASED LIFT,

SUPPORTING OVER TEN HOURS
OF NONSTOP FLIGHT.

IT IS ALSO ONE
OF THE FIRST AIRCRAFT EVER

TO BE DESIGNED WITH SWEPT WINGS.

AT AN ANGLE OF 35 DEGREES BACK,

THE UNIQUE WING SHAPE
STREAMLINES THE B-52 IN FLIGHT.

BUT THE BOMBER ISN'T JUST BIG
ON THE OUTSIDE.

INSIDE IT HOSTS
A DOUBLE-DECKER COCKPIT.

Seifert: SOMETHING UNIQUE
TO THE B-52 IS OUR CREW SIZE.

WE HAVE TWO PILOTS UP FRONT,
TWO NAVIGATORS DOWNSTAIRS,

AND AN ELECTRONIC WARFARE
OFFICER IN THE BACK.

WITH OUR VARIETY
OF MISSION SETS,

THAT REALLY ALLOWS US
TO COVER ALL OUR BASES.

Narrator: THE FIVE-PERSON
COCKPIT MAXIMIZES EFFICIENCY,

GIVING THE B-52 NOT ONLY BRAWN,
BUT BRAINS.

Seifert: WITH FIVE PEOPLE ON
THE BOMBER ALL DOING THEIR JOBS,

IT MAKES FOR A REALLY EFFICIENT
AND EFFECTIVE BOMBER.

Narrator: AT BOEING FIELD,
THE YB-52 TAXIS ONTO THE RUNWAY.

[CHEERING]

THE CROWDS ROAR
AS IT STARTS TO ASCEND.

[CHEERING]

Yenne: THERE WAS SMOKE,
THERE WAS FIRE,

THERE WAS THUNDERING, RUMBLING,

AND TO SEE THIS THING
COMING DOWN THE RUNWAY

WAS AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE.

Narrator: IN JUST MOMENTS
THE MASSIVE BOMBER IS AIRBORNE.

THE YB-52'S TEST FLIGHT LASTS
THREE HOURS AND EIGHT MINUTES.

IT'S THE LONGEST
MAIDEN FLIGHT EVER.

Karafantis: THE ROLLOUT
WAS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.

THIS WAS GOING TO SHOWCASE
AMERICA'S ABILITY

TO DELIVER A RETALIATORY STRIKE
AGAINST THE SOVIET UNION.

Narrator: THE SOVIETS TAKE NOTE
OF THE AIR FORCE'S NEW WEAPON,

AND QUICKLY COUNTER
WITH A BOMBER OF THEIR OWN.

Yenne: IT WAS NO COINCIDENCE
THAT WITHIN A FEW MONTHS

OF THE B-52 MAKING
ITS DEBUT FLIGHT

THAT IN THE SOVIET UNION
THE TUPOLEV BEAR MADE ITS DEBUT.

Narrator:
THE TUPOLEV TU-95 BEAR.

IT HAS THE CAPABILITY
TO REACH THE UNITED STATES,

AND IT'S NUCLEAR CAPABLE, TOO.

Yenne: WITH THE ADVENT
OF THE BEAR,

THE PLAYING FIELD
HAD BEEN LEVELED.

Narrator: BUT A LEVEL
PLAYING FIELD ISN'T ENOUGH.

THE U.S. WANTS THE UPPER HAND.

ENTER AIR FORCE GENERAL
CURTIS LEMAY.

HE COMES UP WITH A PLAN

TO SHOW OFF AMERICA'S
NEWEST NUCLEAR WEAPONS.

AND HIS PLAN RELIES ON THE B-52.

MAY 21, 1956.

BIKINI ATOLL.

IN A TEST CODE-NAMED CHEROKEE,
THE B-52 DROPS

A 7,600-POUND HYDROGEN BOMB
CALLED THE MARK 15.

THE EXPLOSION IS 3.8 MEGATONS.

THE NUCLEAR CLOUD
REACHES 94,000 FEET.

IT IS ALMOST
200 TIMES MORE POWERFUL

THAN THE BOMB DROPPED
ON NAGASAKI IN WORLD WAR II.

THE TEST ALLOWS GENERAL LEMAY
TO SHOW OFF HIS FIREPOWER.

HIS NEXT STEP:

TO LET THE SOVIETS KNOW
THAT HE CAN ALSO DELIVER IT.

LESS THAN A YEAR LATER,

LEMAY PUTS OPERATION POWER FLITE
INTO ACTION.

IN JANUARY OF 1957
HE SENDS THREE B-52s

ON NONSTOP FLIGHTS
AROUND THE WORLD.

LEMAY HOPES THE MISSION

WILL PROVE THE B-52'S
UNMATCHED RANGE.

Yenne: IF IT COULD FLY AROUND
THE WORLD WITHOUT STOPPING,

IT COULD CERTAINLY PERFORM
THE MISSION

OF REACHING
INTO THE SOVIET UNION.

Narrator:
THE FLIGHTS ARE A SUCCESS.

BUT LEMAY WANTS MORE
THAN DEMONSTRATION FLIGHTS.

HE WANTS TO PUT THE B-52
ON PERMANENT PATROL.

IN 1960, LEMAY SETS INTO MOTION

A BRAND-NEW
NUCLEAR DETERRENCE PROGRAM.

HE USES HIS B-52s
TO BRING NUCLEAR WARHEADS

TO THE SOVIETS' DOORSTEP
EVERY SINGLE DAY.

Yenne: OPERATION CHROME DOME
WAS A 24-HOUR-ALERT MISSION

IN WHICH B-52s WERE TASKED
WITH A SPECIFIC STRATEGIC TARGET

WITHIN THE SOVIET UNION.

AND IF THE COLD WAR TURNED HOT,
THEY WOULD BE PREPARED

TO IMMEDIATELY FLY
INTO THE SOVIET UNION

AND STRIKE
STRATEGIC TARGETS THERE.

Narrator: AERIAL REFUELING
ALLOWS THE B-52s

TO CIRCLE SOVIET BORDERS
AROUND THE CLOCK.

CHROME DOME THRUSTS THE BUFF

ONTO THE FRONT LINE OF
THE NEW NUCLEAR BATTLEGROUND.

AT LEAST 12 NUCLEAR-ARMED B-52s
ARE AIRBORNE AT A TIME.

Yenne: EACH OF THE B-52s
ON OPERATION CHROME DOME

HAD A TARGETING ENVELOPE ABOARD.

THESE WERE SEALED ENVELOPES

THAT WERE GIVEN
TO THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER

AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MISSION.

THEY REMAINED SEALED

UNTIL THE AIRPLANE
GOT ITS GREEN LIGHT

TO ATTACK THE SOVIET UNION.

[HORN BLOWS]

Narrator:
CREWS THAT AREN'T ON PATROL

ARE ON 24-HOUR GROUND ALERT.

Yenne: B-52s BASED
IN THE UNITED STATES

WERE COCKED AND LOADED,

READY TO TAKE OFF
WITH 15 MINUTES' NOTICE

TO FLY SECONDARY STRIKES
INTO THE SOVIET UNION.

Narrator: LEMAY BELIEVES HIS
NUCLEAR B-52s ARE A DETERRENCE.

BUT WITH EVERY FLIGHT,
THE ODDS OF AN ACCIDENT GROW.

Karafantis:
THE FEAR IS THAT SOMETHING
IS GOING TO MALFUNCTION;

MAYBE WITHIN
THE PLANE'S HARDWARE,

AND THEN THE PLANE WILL CRASH,

AND YOU WORRY ABOUT WHAT'S GOING
TO HAPPEN TO THOSE BOMBS.

Yenne: IF ONE CRASHED
AND A NUCLEAR WEAPON WENT OFF,

IT WOULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS.

IF IT WAS MISINTERPRETED,

IT COULD HAVE MEANT
WORLD WAR III.

Narrator: SOON ENOUGH, THE B-52s
ARE PUSHED TO THEIR LIMIT.

1961.

GOLDSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA.

A STRATOFORTRESS CARRYING
TWO FOUR-MEGATON NUCLEAR BOMBS

CRASHES FROM A MAJOR FUEL LEAK
MID-FLIGHT.

Man: IT WAS JUST LIKE
HAIL FAILING THERE.

FRAGMENTS WERE COMING DOWN,
DIRT OR ROCK OR SOMETHING.

Reporter: DID ANY OF THEM
HIT YOUR HOUSE?

Man: OH, YEAH.

Karafantis: THE HYDROGEN BOMBS
WENT TO THE GROUND,

AND ALTHOUGH
THEY DIDN'T DETONATE,

ON ONE OF THE BOMBS

IT ALMOST BYPASSED
ALL OF THE SECURITY MEASURES.

SO, IT WAS KIND OF A HINT
OF WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN

IF THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG

WITH THESE PLANES
MALFUNCTIONING.

Yenne: CRITICS OF THE ONGOING
NUCLEAR ALERT MISSIONS

WITH LIVE WEAPONS ABOARD

WERE ESPECIALLY FEARFUL
OF AN ACCIDENT

INVOLVING A DETONATION
OVER INTERNATIONAL BORDERS.

Narrator: DESPITE THE CRASH,

CHROME DOME OPERATIONS CONTINUE
IN FULL FORCE.

IN 1966, DISASTER STRIKES.

A FULLY ARMED B-52 COLLIDES WITH
A REFUELING TANKER OVER SPAIN.

THE PLANE AND
ITS FOUR NUCLEAR BOMBS

CRASH INTO
THE UNSUSPECTING ALLY.

IT'S A DISASTER THAT JUST MIGHT
PUT THOUSANDS OF LIVES AT STAKE.

A NUCLEAR-ARMED B-52 COLLIDES
WITH A REFUELING TANKER

OVER PALOMARES, SPAIN.

THE PLANE, ALONG WITH FOUR
THERMONUCLEAR BOMBS,

HITS THE QUIET FISHING TOWN.

Yenne: WHEN SOME OF THE BOMBS
CAME LOOSE,

THERE WAS A NATURAL FEAR

THAT THERE COULD BE A NUCLEAR
EXPLOSION OR A RADIATION LEAK.

Narrator:
THREE BOMBS STRIKE LAND.

ONE FALLS INTO THE NEARBY
MEDITERRANEAN.

Karafantis: THIS OPENED THE
DOORS FOR INTERNATIONAL CONCERN

OVER WHAT THESE HOVERING
AIRCRAFT WITH NUCLEAR BOMBS

MIGHT MEAN FOR COUNTRIES ABROAD.

Narrator: IN 1968,
ANOTHER B-52 CRASHES.

THIS TIME, IN GREENLAND.

NUCLEAR DEBRIS COVERS
THREE SQUARE MILES.

Karafantis: SOME HYDROGEN BOMBS
WERE RELEASED DURING THE CRASH,

AND STRATEGIC AIR COMMAND SAID,

"OKAY, ENOUGH WITH
THE CONSTANT CIRCLING B-52s."

Narrator: THE CHROME DOME
PROGRAM IS CANCELLED.

BUT NO SOONER DOES
THE NUCLEAR MISSION VANISH

THAN THE B-52 TAKES UP
A NEW ROLE,

HALFWAY AROUND THE WORLD.

1968.

THE U.S. IS DEEP INTO AN AIR
CAMPAIGN THROUGHOUT VIETNAM.

[RADIO CHATTER]

Narrator: IT'S CALLED
"ARC LIGHT,"

AND THE AIR FORCE MAKES THE B-52
ITS PRINCIPAL BOMBER.

Yenne: DURING THE VIETNAM WAR,
THE B-52,

BECAUSE OF ITS HUGE SIZE,

TOOK ON A CONVENTIONAL MISSION
DROPPING NON-NUCLEAR IRON BOMBS.

THIS WAS THE FIRST USE
OF THE B-52 ACTUALLY IN COMBAT.

Narrator: IT ISN'T LONG
BEFORE THE BUFFS SHOW

JUST HOW MUCH DAMAGE
THEY CAN DO.

A YEAR INTO THE WAR

THE B-52s DROP AN AVERAGE
OF 8,000 TONS OF BOMBS A MONTH.

THEY QUICKLY GAIN A REPUTATION

AS INDISCRIMINATE
"CARPET BOMBERS,"

DESTROYING MILES
OF NORTH VIETNAMESE COUNTRYSIDE

WITH EVERY BOMBING RUN.

THE NORTH VIETNAMESE STRIKE BACK
WITH EVERYTHING THEY HAVE,

INCLUDING THEIR BRAND-NEW
SOVIET-MADE MISSILES.

Karafantis:
SOVIET SURFACE-TO-AIR
MISSILE TECHNOLOGY

WAS RAPIDLY INCREASING,

AND THIS WAS PUTTING
EVEN HIGH-FLYING BOMBERS,

SUCH AS THE B-52, AT RISK.

Narrator: THE MISSILE'S RADAR
HAS A RANGE OF UP TO 18 MILES.

THE B-52'S MAXIMUM ALTITUDE
IS ONLY NINE.

Karafantis: EFFECTIVELY, THIS
MADE THE B-52 A SITTING DUCK.

Yenne: THE AIR FORCE WAS FACED
WITH A DILEMMA;

EITHER FIND A WAY TO DEFEND
THE B-52 AGAINST THIS THREAT

OR GET RID OF IT ALTOGETHER.

Narrator:
TO COMBAT THE ENEMY RADAR,

THE AIR FORCE BEGINS A PROGRAM
KNOWN AS RIVET RAMBLER,

INSTALLING AN ALL-NEW ELECTRONIC
COUNTERMEASURE SYSTEM

INTO THE B-52s.

THE NEW HARDWARE IS DESIGNED

TO JAM THE SIGNALS
OF ENEMY MISSILE RADAR

AND MAKE THE B-52s UNDETECTABLE.

THE MODIFICATIONS COME
JUST IN TIME.

IN DECEMBER OF 1972

PEACE TALKS BETWEEN
NORTH VIETNAM AND THE U.S.

COME TO A STALEMATE.

PRESIDENT NIXON ORDERS
A MAJOR AIR OFFENSIVE

TO PUSH TALKS BACK ON THE TABLE,

CODENAMED
OPERATION LINEBACKER II.

THE B-52s PLAY A KEY ROLE.

ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, GUAM.

B-52 CREWMEMBERS SCRAMBLE
FOR THE UPCOMING MISSION.

Man: ROLL CALL,
CAPTAIN DILWORTH.

Toby Pugh: ON THE WAY
TO THE BRIEFING ROOM

IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT SOMETHING
BIG WAS ABOUT TO HAPPEN

BECAUSE THE AIR BASE
WAS EERILY SILENT.

Narrator: CAPTAIN TOBY PUGH WAS
WITH THE 72nd STRATEGIC WING

DURING THE VIETNAM WAR.

Pugh: THE BRIEFING OFFICER
STOOD UP AND SAID,

"GOOD EVENING, GENTLEMEN.
YOUR TARGET FOR TONIGHT IS..."

AND HE ROLLED UP THE MAP,

AND THERE WAS A RED STAR
IN THE MIDDLE OF DOWNTOWN HANOI.

Narrator: HANOI IS
NORTH VIETNAM'S CAPITAL CITY,

IT'S PROTECTED BY HUNDREDS
OF SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILES.

Pugh: WE KNEW WE WERE GOING
TO BE THREATENED BY EVERYTHING

THAT WAS AVAILABLE
TO THE NORTH VIETNAMESE.

IT WAS PROBABLY
THE MOST HEAVILY DEFENDED TARGET

THAT HAD EVER BEEN ATTACKED.

Narrator:
IT'S THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY

TO TEST THE B-52'S
NEW ELECTRONIC UPGRADES,

WHICH ALL HINGE
ON A SINGLE CREW POSITION:

THE ELECTRONIC WARFARE OFFICER.

Man: ROGER, CO-PILOT,

JUST THE NORMAL ACQUISITION
SIGNALS ON,

NO THREATS AT THIS TIME.

Narrator:
BY SENDING COUNTER SIGNALS,

THE B-52'S ELECTRONIC WARFARE
OFFICER

CAN BLOCK, OR JAM, ENEMY RADAR.

Loucks: SO HERE YOU'LL ACTUALLY
SEE SOME OF THE ANTENNAS

THAT THE ELECTRONIC WARFARE
OFFICER USES

TO IDENTIFY A THREAT AND THEN
PUT JAMMING BACK ON THAT THREAT.

Narrator: A SUCCESSFUL JAM
MAKES THE B-52 UNTRACEABLE.

BUT THE TECHNOLOGY
IS NO GUARANTEE OF SUCCESS.

Loucks: IF THE ELECTRONIC
WARFARE OFFICER

IS UNABLE TO COUNTER
OR IDENTIFY A CERTAIN THREAT,

IT LEAVES THE B-52 OPEN
TO ENEMY RADAR,

AND ULTIMATELY THE RESULTS
COULD BE DEADLY.

Narrator: IN GUAM,
OVER 100 FULLY LOADED B-52s

TAXI TO THE RUNWAY.

Pugh: EVERY PARKING STUB
THAT THEY COULD FIND

HAD A B-52 ON IT.

WE HAD NEVER SEEN SO MANY B-52s
ALL IN ONE PLACE AT ONE TIME.

Narrator: THE MISSION CALLS
FOR THREE WAVES OF ATTACK.

PUGH'S B-52 IS
IN THE SECOND WAVE.

WHEN IT ARRIVES OVER HANOI

THE ELEMENT OF SURPRISE
WILL BE LONG GONE.

Pugh: WE WERE ALL FLYING
ON THE SAME HEADING AND ALTITUDE

AND AT THE SAME AIR SPEED.

THE LOGIC WAS, IF WE ALL FLEW
ON THE SAME ROUTE

THAT WE WOULDN'T RUN
INTO EACH OTHER.

BUT THAT ALSO MADE IT POSSIBLE
FOR THE GROUND FORCES

TO DETERMINE WHERE WE
WERE GOING TO BE.

WE WERE SORT OF LIKE DUCKS
IN A ROW IN A SHOOTING GALLERY.

Narrator: PUGH IS THE ELECTRONIC
WARFARE OFFICER ON THE MISSION.

IT IS HIS FIRST TIME
JAMMING IN COMBAT.

THE CREW MUST PUT ALL
OF THEIR FAITH

INTO HIS ABILITY
TO BLOCK OUT THREATS.

Pugh: AS SOON AS WE CROSSED
THE BORDER INTO NORTH VIETNAM,

THE RADAR ENVIRONMENT
GOT VERY BUSY.

[RADIO CHATTER]

AND IT WAS FILLED WITH A NUMBER
OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF SIGNALS,

ALL OF WHICH WERE TRYING
TO HONE IN ON US.

Narrator:
10 MINUTES FROM THE DROP ZONE,

THE BUFF HAS COMPANY...

A NORTH VIETNAMESE
MIG FIGHTER JET.

Pugh:
COMING OVER THE CITY OF HANOI,

WE BEGAN TO GET SIGNALS
FROM MIG AIRCRAFT.

THEY WERE NOT REALLY
THREAT SIGNALS,

BUT THEY WERE TRYING
TO ACQUIRE US.

Narrator: OUT OF RANGE
OF THE B-52'S GUNNER,

THE CREW CAN ONLY WAIT.

Pugh: AND HE WAS JUST
SORT OF TOYING WITH US.

AND THEN HE DISAPPEARED.

WE THINK WHAT HAPPENED IS,

THAT HE WAS FLYING ALONG WITH US
FIGURING OUT WHERE WE WERE,

TRANSMITTING THAT INFORMATION
TO THE PEOPLE ON THE GROUND.

ELECTRONIC COUNTERMEASURES IS
SORT OF A CHESS GAME IN THE SKY.

YOU'RE TRYING TO ANTICIPATE
THE MOVES

THAT THE OTHER PEOPLE WILL MAKE,

YOU'RE TRYING TO MAKE MOVES THAT
WILL CONFUSE THE OPPONENT.

Narrator: PUGH'S JAMMING WORKS.

NO MISSILES ARE ABLE TO LOCK ON
TO HIS AIRCRAFT.

BUT AS THE FIRST WAVE OF B-52s
REACHES HANOI,

ITS PREDICTABLE FLIGHT PATH
BLOWS ITS COVER.

Pugh: VERY SHORTLY AFTER THAT
THE SAM SIGNALS CAME UP,

AND THAT'S WHEN THEY
STARTED FIRING AT US.

[ALARM SOUNDING]

Narrator: THE BOMBERS
MUST STAY ON TRACK

OR RISK MISSING THEIR TARGET.

BUT THEY ARE HEADED STRAIGHT
INTO THE LINE OF FIRE.

[ALARM SOUNDING]

Pugh: THAT'S WHEN THE THREAT
WAS THE HIGHEST FOR US.

THE CONCENTRATION LEVEL
OF EVERYBODY IN THE CREW

IS SO COMPLETELY FOCUSED.

IT IS PROBABLY THE MOST
CONCENTRATED I'VE BEEN

ON ANYTHING IN MY LIFE
AT THAT MOMENT.

Narrator: FINALLY, PUGH AND
HIS CREW ARE OVER THE TARGET.

THE NAVIGATOR PULLS THE LEVER,
AND THE BOMB DOORS OPEN.

THE B-52'S 108 BOMBS DROP.

BUT THERE IS NO TIME
TO SEE IF THEY HIT.

Pugh: WE HAD JUST ENOUGH TIME
TO COMPLETE THE WEAPONS RELEASE,

CLOSE THE BOMB BAY DOORS,
MAKE THE HARD LEFT TURN.

WE'RE TALKING
60 DEGREES OF BANK,

WHICH IS HUGE FOR A B-52.

Narrator:
OUT OF THE LINE OF FIRE,

THE CREW HEADS
TOWARDS THE PACIFIC.

Pugh: EXITING THE TARGET AREA
HAD A SENSE OF RELIEF

THAT WE HAD COMPLETED
THE MISSION WE'D SET OUT TO DO.

AND THAT'S... THAT'S WHAT FLYING
IS ALL ABOUT.

Narrator: THAT NIGHT,
B-52s STRIKE

MORE THAN 90%
OF ASSIGNED TARGETS.

THROUGHOUT THE NEXT TEN DAYS,
15 B-52s ARE SHOT DOWN,

BUT THE MISSIONS HAVE
A STAGGERING SUCCESS RATE.

THE BUFFS DROP OVER 15,000 TONS
OF MUNITIONS OVER NORTH VIETNAM,

DODGING MORE THAN 1,200 SAMS.

IT'S A MAJOR TRIUMPH
FOR THE AGING BOMBER.

Yenne: THE VIETNAM WAR
REALLY DEMONSTRATED

THE CAPABILITY OF THE B-52
AS A SYSTEM

TO KEEP PACE WITH THE CHANGES
IN THE MISSION

AND THE CHANGES IN WARFARE.

Narrator: BUT NO SOONER
IS THE B-52 BACK IN THE U.S.

THAN IT HAS TO FACE DOWN
ANOTHER THREAT,

THIS TIME FROM WITHIN
ITS OWN RANKS.

1974.

THE AIR FORCE DEBUTS
ITS BRAND-NEW BOMBER:

THE ROCKWELL B-1A.

Yenne: MAJOR STRATEGIC SYSTEMS
LIKE THE B-52

WERE BEING REPLACED
AT A VERY RAPID RATE.

IT WAS ONLY NATURAL
THAT THE AIR FORCE

SHOULD START THINKING ABOUT
A POTENTIAL REPLACEMENT.

Narrator:
THE B-1A IS UNIQUELY DESIGNED

TO COMBAT
ADVANCED SOVIET DEFENSES.

ADJUSTABLE WINGS PROVIDE
INCREASED ACCELERATION,

ALLOWING IT TO FLY LOW AND FAST
UNDER SOVIET RADAR.

Yenne: IT HAD THE CAPABILITY
TO DELIVER NUCLEAR WEAPONS

DEEP INTO THE SOVIET UNION

WITH MUCH GREATER SPEED
THAN THE B-52.

Narrator:
THREE SEPARATE BOMB BAYS

GIVE IT A LARGER NUCLEAR PAYLOAD
THAN THE BIGGER B-52.

ITS ONLY DRAWBACK: COST.

ITS $102 MILLION PRICE TAG TAKES
CENTER STAGE IN AN ELECTION.

Karafantis: DURING HIS
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN,

JIMMY CARTER SAID THAT HE WANTED
TO CUT THE B-1 PROGRAM

DUE TO ITS HIGH COST.

Narrator:
IF THE B-1 PROGRAM GOES THROUGH,

THE BUFF WILL END UP
IN THE BONEYARD.

IT LOOKS AS IF THE B-52'S FUTURE
WILL COME DOWN TO A VOTE.

1976.

AFTER OVER 20 YEARS IN SERVICE,

THE B-52'S FATE
COMES DOWN TO AN ELECTION.

Gerald Ford: IN MY OPINION...

Narrator: PRESIDENT GERALD FORD
WANTS TO BUILD THE B-1 BOMBER,

A MOVE THAT WILL SEND
THE BUFF PACKING.

BUT RIVAL JIMMY CARTER WANTS
TO KEEP THE B-52 GOING.

Karafantis: AFTER JIMMY CARTER
WON THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION,

THE B-1 BOMBER PROGRAM
WAS CANCELLED,

AND THIS, IN TURN, GAVE THE B-52
A NEW LEASE ON LIFE.

Narrator:
THE AIR FORCE GETS TO WORK

IN KEEPING THE B-52
WITH THE TIMES.

IN 1982 THEY LOAD
ITS INTERNAL ROTARY LAUNCHER

WITH THEIR NEWEST WEAPON:

THE AGM-86 CRUISE MISSILE.

WITH A RANGE OF 1,500 MILES,
THE MISSILE ALLOWS THE B-52

TO STRIKE FROM NEARLY ANYWHERE
IN THE WORLD.

B-52 PILOTS ARE DETERMINED
TO PROVE THE WEAPON'S WORTH,

AND EIGHT YEARS LATER THEY'RE
ABLE TO PUT THEM TO THE TEST.

1990.

IRAQI DICTATOR SADDAM HUSSEIN

ORDERS HIS ARMY
INTO NEIGHBORING KUWAIT.

THE U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL
ISSUES A DEADLINE

FOR IRAQ TO WITHDRAW ITS TROOPS.

George H.W. Bush:
NO NATION WILL BE PERMITTED

TO BRUTALLY ASSAULT
ITS NEIGHBOR.

Narrator:
IRAQ REFUSES TO GIVE IN,

SO COALITION FORCES PREPARE
FOR A MASSIVE AIR WAR.

THE FIRST AIRCRAFT UP: THE B-52.

JANUARY 16th.

BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE,
LOUISIANA.

B-52 CREWS PREPARE
THEIR AIRCRAFT.

John Romano: WE WERE THE ONES
THAT WERE GOING TO BE USED

AS A FIRST STRIKE BEFORE THE WAR
ACTUALLY STARTED.

Narrator: CAPTAIN JOHN ROMANO
WAS A B-52 AIRCRAFT COMMANDER

DURING OPERATION DESERT STORM.

Romano: WE WANTED TO ELIMINATE
THE COMMUNICATIONS FACILITIES

AS WELL AS RADAR FACILITIES,
ENEMY AIR DEFENSE.

SO, IT WOULD MAKE IT POSSIBLE
FOR THE FIGHTER PILOTS

TO COME IN THERE AND ACTUALLY
EXECUTE THEIR MISSION.

Narrator:
THE MISSION'S CODENAME:
OPERATION SECRET SQUIRREL.

IF IT'S SUCCESSFUL, THE B-52
WILL FLY 14,000 MILES

OVER 34 1/2 HOURS,

THE LONGEST IT'S EVER BEEN FLOWN
IN COMBAT OPERATIONS.

Romano: WE KNEW THIS WAS
LIKE A HISTORY-MAKING MISSION,

SO WE WERE DEFINITELY GEARED UP
TO GET THIS GOING

AND TAKE CARE OF WHAT
WE NEEDED TO DO.

Narrator: THIS MISSION ALSO HAS
ANOTHER FIRST:

IT'S THE COMBAT DEBUT
OF THE AGM-86C CRUISE MISSILE.

THE MISSILE WILL ALLOW THE
BOMBER TO STRIKE IRAQI RADARS

FROM OVER A THOUSAND MILES AWAY,

KEEPING THE BUFF OUT OF RANGE OF
IRAQI SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILES.

Romano: HAVING THIS NEW WEAPON
MEANT A BIG DEAL

BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE TO PUT
ANYBODY IN HARM'S WAY.

Narrator:
CAPTAIN ROMANO AND HIS CREW

TAKE OFF AT DAWN FROM LOUISIANA.

SIX OTHERS FOLLOW BEHIND.

THE AIRCRAFT ISN'T STEALTHY
BY A LONG SHOT.

BUT IN THIS MISSION,
IT HAS A DISGUISE.

FLIGHT CONTROL HAS REPROGRAMMED
ITS RADAR SIGNATURE.

FROM THE GROUND, IT LOOKS
LIKE A DIFFERENT AIRCRAFT.

Romano: WE HAD DEFINITELY
TAKEN SOME MEASURES

TO DISGUISE OURSELVES
AS SOMETHING OTHER THAN A B-52.

Narrator: THE CREWS FLY STEADILY
FOR NINE HOURS.

OVER THE MEDITERRANEAN, THEY
MEET WITH A TANKER TO REFUEL.

[RADIO CHATTER]

SUDDENLY, THEY NOTICE
THEY HAVE COMPANY.

Romano: WHEN WE WERE
FLYING ALONG,

JUST GETTING ON
TO OUR SECOND AIR REFUELING,

MY ELECTRONIC WARFARE OFFICER
NOTIFIED ME

THAT THERE WAS ENEMY AIRCRAFT
IN THE AREA.

Narrator: THE AIRCRAFT
IS AN UNKNOWN FIGHTER JET...

WITH THE B-52 CLEARLY
IN ITS SIGHTS.

Romano: IF THEY WERE GOING
TO DO ANYTHING,

THEY COULD HAVE TWO AIRCRAFT
AT THE PRICE OF ONE.

Narrator: THE B-52 CREWS
WAIT NERVOUSLY

AS THEIR AIRCRAFT DRINKS.

THE FIGHTER CIRCLES NEARBY.

THE B-52 CAN DO PLENTY OF DAMAGE
TO ANYTHING ON THE GROUND.

IN THE AIR,
IT DOESN'T STAND A CHANCE.

Romano: FOR 55 MINUTES,

WE WERE, YOU KNOW, GETTING
THAT GAS FROM THE TANKER.

IT WAS SO CRITICALLY IMPORTANT
TO GET THIS FUEL,

OTHERWISE WE COULDN'T MAKE IT
TO OUR DESTINATION

WHERE WE NEEDED TO LAUNCH
THOSE MISSILES.

Narrator: FINALLY, THE B-52s
GET OFF THE PUMP

AND HEAD ON THEIR WAY.

THE UNKNOWN JET
CONTINUES TO FOLLOW.

NEAR THE LIBYAN BORDER,
THE FIGHTER VEERS OFF.

THE B-52'S COVER IS BLOWN,

ADDING EXTRA URGENCY
TO THEIR MISSION.

Romano: SINCE THEY ACTUALLY
VISUALLY IDENTIFIED US,

IT WAS IMPERATIVE TO GET THERE

AS QUICKLY AND AS SAFELY
AS POSSIBLE

SO WE CAN GET THOSE MISSILES
OFF OF OUR AIRCRAFT.

Narrator:
16 HOURS AFTER TAKEOFF,

THE B-52s CROSS
INTO SAUDI ARABIA.

THEY APPROACH
THEIR LAUNCH POINT.

Romano: WE KNEW IT WAS
CRUNCH TIME,

AND THIS WAS THE MAKE OR BREAK
OF THE MISSION RIGHT HERE.

Narrator: THE PILOTS STEADY
THE MASSIVE BOMBER.

NAVIGATORS PLUG IN
LAST-MINUTE COORDINATES.

THEY LOCK ON TO THEIR TARGETS
AND FIRE.

Romano:
WHEN THE MISSILE WAS LAUNCHED,

THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT
OF A SHIFT

BECAUSE EACH MISSILE WEIGHED
A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF POUNDS,

AND YOU DEFINITELY CAN FEEL
A LITTLE JOLT

ONCE THE MISSILE
DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT.

Narrator: 15 MINUTES LATER,

THE MISSILES REACH
THEIR TARGETS.

EACH ONE IS DEADLY ACCURATE.

THE IRAQI RADAR SITES
ARE DESTROYED.

NOW, COALITION STRIKE PACKAGES
CAN FINISH THE ATTACK.

Romano:
IT WAS A PRETTY GOOD FEELING

TO KNOW THAT WE CAUSED
A LOT OF HAVOC,

WE KNEW THE FIGHTERS
CAN GET IN THERE SAFELY

AND TRY TO DO
THEIR MISSION AS WELL.

Narrator: 35 HOURS
AND 14,000 MILES AFTER TAKEOFF,

THE SECRET SQUIRREL BOMBERS
ARRIVE BACK AT BARKSDALE.

THE MISSION IS ONE
FOR THE RECORD BOOKS.

Romano: KNOWING THAT AN AIRPLANE
CAN FLY THAT LONG,

35, 40 HOURS, IS REMARKABLE.

WE PROVED TO THE WORLD

THAT WE WERE A FORCE
TO BE RECKONED WITH.

Karafantis:
OPERATION DESERT STORM
WAS, ARGUABLY,

THE MOST SUCCESSFUL AIR CAMPAIGN
IN HISTORY,

AND THE B-52 PLAYED
AN INTEGRAL PART IN THAT.

IT PERFORMED
ALMOST 2,000 SORTIES;

IT RELEASED MORE THAN
72,000 POUNDS OF WEAPONS

AND DELIVERED ABOUT 25,000 TONS
OF ORDNANCE.

Narrator: THE B-52 PROVES
IT CAN TAKE OUT AN ENEMY

FROM OVER A THOUSAND MILES AWAY.

IN ITS NEXT MISSION,
IT WILL HAVE TO PROVE

HOW WELL IT CAN DO
WHEN IT GETS UP CLOSE.

2001.

OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM.

AFGHANISTAN.

U.S. SPECIAL FORCES
COMBAT TALIBAN MILITANTS

IN THE MOUNTAINS
OF ORUZGAN PROVINCE.

BUT THE DIFFICULT TERRAIN
MAKES FOR EASY AMBUSHES.

U.S. FORCES ARE IN CONSTANT NEED
OF IMMEDIATE AIR SUPPORT.

FIGHTER JETS HAVE LIMITED
FLIGHT TIME AND WEAPON LOADS,

MAKING IT DIFFICULT
TO PROVIDE EXTENDED SUPPORT

FOR THE GROUND TROOPS.

THE AIR FORCE PROPOSES
A RADICAL SOLUTION... THE B-52.

THEY HOPE ITS LONG FLIGHT TIME
CAN MAKE IT IDEAL

FOR CLOSE AIR SUPPORT
IN THE SCATTERED TERRAIN.

Yenne:
THE IRONY IS THAT THE B-52

WAS NEVER DESIGNED
AS A CLOSE AIR SUPPORT WEAPON.

IT WAS DESIGNED FOR STRATEGIC
AND NOT TACTICAL WARFARE.

Narrator: THE BUFF'S DESIGNS,
MEANT FOR GLOBAL NUCLEAR WAR,

MAY ALSO MAKE IT PERFECT
FOR BATTLEFIELD TACTICS.

THE SUPPORT CALLS
FOR A CONSTANT AERIAL PRESENCE,

B-52s CIRCLING OVER TARGET AREAS
FOR UP TO FOUR HOURS

AND REACTING TO THREATS
IN REAL TIME.

Joseph Jones: CLOSE AIR SUPPORT
IS TIME-SENSITIVE

AND IT'S REACTIVE.

Narrator: COLONEL JOSEPH JONES
WAS A RADAR NAVIGATOR

DURING OPERATION
ENDURING FREEDOM.

Jones: THE ENVIRONMENT
ALWAYS STAYS DYNAMIC.

THE TROOPS ARE MOVING,
THE ENEMY IS MOVING,

OR YOUR TARGET IS MOVING.

Narrator: NOT LONG INTO PATROL,

JONES' B-52 RECEIVES
ITS FIRST DISTRESS CALL.

IT'S COMING DIRECTLY FROM
U.S. FORCES ON THE GROUND.

Jones:
A 12-VEHICLE TALIBAN CONVOY

HAD TARGETED 35 FRIENDLY TROOPS.

THEY HAD BRACKETED OUR
FRIENDLY FORCES ON THE GROUND,

AND WITHOUT IMMEDIATE ATTACK
THEY WERE IN DANGER OF CASUALTY.

Narrator: THE B-52 IS ONLY
TEN MINUTES FROM THE TROOPS.

BUT THE TALIBAN'S CONVOY
IS CLOSING IN FAST.

IF THEY GET TOO CLOSE
TO FRIENDLY FORCES,

THERE'S NOTHING THE B-52 CAN DO.

Jones:
YOU HAVE TO DELIVER WEAPONS

IN CLOSE PROXIMITY
TO FRIENDLY FORCES.

YOU COULD ENDANGER
YOUR OWN FORCES

IF NOT DELIVERED
ACCURATELY AND PRECISELY.

Narrator: FROM 38,000 FEET

A MOVING CONVOY IS NEARLY
IMPOSSIBLE TO HIT DIRECTLY.

THE B-52 MUST BE DEADLY ACCURATE

OR RISK TAKING OUT
FRIENDLY FORCES.

[GUNFIRE]

HIGH OVER AFGHANISTAN,

A B-52 CREW LOOKS DOWN
ON AN ENEMY CONVOY,

A CONVOY THAT'S HEADING STRAIGHT
TOWARDS FRIENDLY TROOPS.

[GUNFIRE]

Jones: WE WERE ACUTELY AWARE
ON OUR CREW

THAT IF WE WEREN'T ABLE TO REACT
ACCURATELY AND QUICKLY

THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE
FRIENDLY CAUSALITIES.

Narrator:
THE B-52 HAS 27 GRAVITY BOMBS
LOADED IN ITS BOMB BAY.

THAT'S ENOUGH TO DO
OVER A MILE OF DAMAGE.

Jones: WE WERE GOING TO COME IN
FROM BEHIND THE CONVOY,

LAY A STRING OF WEAPONS
DOWN ALONG THE CONVOY LINE.

Narrator: HITTING THE MOVING
TARGET WON'T BE EASY:

JONES MUST RELEASE THE BOMBS

AT EXACTLY THE RIGHT TIME AND
POSITION TO HIT THEIR TARGET.

Jones: WE HAD TO PREDICT WHERE
THAT CONVOY WAS GOING TO BE

48 TO 53 SECONDS AFTER
THE RELEASE FROM THE AIRPLANE

TO HIT A TARGET THAT WAS
GOING TO MOVE ALMOST A MILE

AFTER WE HAD RELEASED
OUR WEAPONS.

Narrator: WITH FRIENDLY FORCES
NEARBY, IT'S A BIG RISK.

AND JONES WILL ONLY HAVE
ONE SHOT.

Jones: WE NEVER HAD PREPARED
TO STRIKE A MOVING TARGET EVER.

THIS WAS A SERIOUS HEADS-UP
BALLGAME THAT WE WERE PLAYING.

Narrator: JONES TAKES
ONE LAST LOOK AT THE CONVOY

AND RELEASES THE PAYLOAD.

27 BOMBS FLY OUT OF THE B-52
AND HIT THE GROUND HARD.

AS THE DUST CLEARS,
JONES RADIOS DOWN TO THE TROOPS.

Jones: WE MADE SEVERAL CALLS
AND GOT NO CALL BACK,

THERE WAS AN IMMEDIATE CONCERN

THAT THERE MAY HAVE BEEN
A FRIENDLY FIRE INCIDENT,

WITH WHICH WE WERE
THE GUILTY PARTIES.

[RADIO CHATTER]

Narrator: THEN THE RADIO
CRACKLES TO LIFE.

Jones: AND ALL THE SUDDEN
THE GROUND GUY COMES ON

AND THERE IS HOOTING
AND HOLLERING IN THE BACKGROUND

AND LAUGHING, AND THIS GUY GOES,
"WELL, THIS WAR'S OVER,

YOU JUST DESTROYED
THAT ENTIRE CONVOY EN MASSE."

Narrator: THE THREATS NOW
ELIMINATED, THE B-52 CLEARS OUT.

OVER THE NEXT MONTHS
THE BUFF QUICKLY BECOMES

ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
CLOSE AIR SUPPORT AIRCRAFT

IN AFGHANISTAN.

Jones: IT MODIFIED THE WAY
WE THINK ABOUT THAT AIRPLANE

AS A CLOSE AIR SUPPORT VEHICLE.

Narrator:
50 YEARS AFTER ITS CONSTRUCTION,

THE BUFF IS STILL ONE
OF THE AIR FORCE'S TOP ASSETS.

Jones: THE B-52 IS JUST WAITING
FOR THE NEXT OPERATION,

AND THAT NEXT OPERATION
IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER.

Narrator: AUGUST 2015.

BOEING IS AWARDED
A $46 MILLION CONTRACT

TO BRING ITS OLDEST BOMBER
INTO THE DIGITAL AGE.

WHILE THE AIR FORCE HAS NEWER,
MORE ADVANCED BOMBERS,

THEY STILL HEAVILY RELY
ON THE 60-YEAR-OLD BUFF.

WITH 76 AIRFRAMES STILL
IN SERVICE, ALL FROM THE 1960s,

THE REMAINING B-52s
HAVE STOOD THE TEST OF TIME.

AND THEIR POWER
IS STILL UNMATCHED.

NOW THE B-52 FLEET
WILL BE UPGRADED

WITH NEW DIGITAL DISPLAYS,
REAL-TIME SATELLITE DATA LINKS,

AND AN INCREASED
SMART WEAPONS PAYLOAD.

Yenne: THE CONSTANT UPGRADES
THROUGH ALL OF THESE DECADES

HAVE CONSISTENTLY RENEWED IT
AS ALMOST AN ALL-NEW AIRPLANE

FOR EVERY DECADE IN WHICH
IT'S BEEN OPERATIONAL.

Narrator:
FROM A NUCLEAR DETERRENT

TO A PRECISION BOMBER.

Yenne: THE REMARKABLE THING
ABOUT THE B-52

IS THAT IT HAS PERFORMED SO MANY
DIFFERENT TYPES OF MISSIONS

OVER SO MANY YEARS.

Narrator: IT CAN GET
TO ANY FIGHT WITHIN HOURS.

Romano: IT'S DEFINITELY
A GLOBAL REACH AIRCRAFT.

IT CAN STRIKE ANYTIME,
ANYWHERE, ANYHOW.

Narrator: AND DELIVER
A PAYLOAD THAT STICKS.

Morriss: THE AMOUNT OF FIREPOWER
THAT IT CAN CARRY

AT A GIVEN MOMENT

REALLY PROVES THAT IT IS
A PLATFORM OF CHOICE.

Narrator: THE U.S. AIR FORCE
PLANS TO USE THE BUFF

INTO 2040 AND BEYOND.

Romano: IT'S BEEN AROUND
FOR A LONG TIME,

WE CONTINUE TO FLY IT,

AND WE'RE GOING TO BE CONTINUING
TO FLY THIS AIRCRAFT

FOR A LONG TIME COMING.

Narrator:
THE AIR FORCE'S HEAVY HITTER

WILL ALWAYS BE READY TO DELIVER
THE KNOCKOUT PUNCH.

NO MATTER WHAT FUTURE THREATS
APPEAR, THE B-52 IS READY.