Minot Air Force Base to activate new B-52 squadron

By Associated Press and staff reports

Posted: Aug 27, 2009 11:23 AM
Updated: Aug 27, 2009 3:13 PM

  Minot Air Force Base is preparing to activate a new B-52 bomber squadron that will send 10 more B-52s to the North Dakota base.

  The new unit will be the fourth B-52 squadron in the Air Force. Minot base already has one squadron and Barksdale Air Force Base has the other two B-52 units. The Air Force has not said whether the planes will be transferred from Barksdale or taken from backup aircraft.

   Air Force officials say adding the new squadron at Minot is part of plans to put a stronger emphasis on nuclear mission training for B-52 units.

   A Minot spokesman said the new squadron will bring about 1,000 more people to the base by the spring of 2011.
  
  Minot was home to a munitions crew that mistakenly loaded nuclear-tipped missiles under the wings of a B-52 two years ago. The bomber was flown to Barksdale, where a bomb crew saw the missiles.

    The Air Force this summer formed a new Global Strike Command at Barksdale to better manage the Air Force's nuclear arsenal. The new command has consolidated control of long-range ballistic missiles and bomb wings that carry nuclear weapons.

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