Eighth Air Force
Headquarters, Eighth Air Force – Barksdale AFB, Louisiana
Eighth Air Force supports U.S. Joint Forces Command, and is designated as U.S. Strategic Command's Task Force 204, providing on-alert, combat-ready forces to the president. The mission of "The Mighty Eighth" is to safeguard America's interests through strategic deterrence and global combat power. Eighth Air Force controls long-range nuclear-capable bomber assets throughout the United States and overseas locations. Its flexible, conventional and nuclear deterrence mission provides the capability to deploy forces and engage enemy threats from home station or forward positioned, anywhere, any time. The 8th Air Force motto is "Deterrence through strength, global strike on demand."
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- The Missouri Air National Guard 131st Bomb Wing is a traditional associate unit of the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman AFB, flying the B-2 Spirit. If federalized, it is gained by Eighth Air Force.
- The Air Force Reserve 307th Bomb Wing is a traditional associate unit of the 2d Bomb Wing at Barksdale AFB, flying the B-52 Stratofortress. If activated, it is gained by Eighth Air Force
The B-2 Spirit is a long-range nuclear and conventional stealthy bomber. The bomber can fly at high subsonic speeds at altitudes that can reach 50,000 feet. Its unrefueled range is at least 6,000 nautical miles. The B-2 brings massive firepower, in a short time, anywhere on the globe through the most challenging defenses.
The B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, nuclear and conventional heavy bomber that can perform a variety of missions. The bomber can fly at high subsonic speeds at altitudes reaching 50,000 feet. It has an unrefueled combat range in excess of 8,800 miles. It can carry precision-guided ordnance with worldwide precision navigation.
Read more about this topic: Air Force Global Strike Command, Units
Famous quotes containing the words eighth, air and/or force:
“Thou shalt not steal.”
—Bible: Hebrew Exodus, 20:15.
The eighth commandment.
“His hope is treacherous only whose love dies
With beauty, which is varying every hour;
But, in chaste hearts uninfluenced by the power
Of outward change, there blooms a deathless flower,
That breathes on earth the air of paradise.”
—Michelangelo Buonarroti (1474–1564)
“It is necessary to turn political crisis into armed crisis by performing violent actions that will force those in power to transform the military situation into a political situation. That will alienate the masses, who, from then on, will revolt against the army and the police and blame them for this state of things.”
—Carlos Marighella (d. 1969)