Bomber Commander Shares Lessons From Operations Midnight Hammer and Epic Fury

Soldier Systems Daily published an Air Force report on a long-range airpower panel at the Air and Space Forces Association's Air, Space and Cyber Conference, where leaders discussed lessons from Operations Midnight Hammer and Epic Fury.

Key points

• Who spoke: Maj. Gen. Ty Neuman, commander of Eighth Air Force and the Joint-Global Strike Operations Center, at the Sept. 15 panel in National Harbor, Md., with bomber, mobility and industry leaders.
• Penetrating force: Neuman said standoff weapons cannot reach every target and called modernizing the legacy bomber fleet an imperative. He described all-aspect low observable systems as "a non-negotiable price to entry."
• Upgrades named: Expanded beyond-line-of-sight communications for the B-1, radar enhancement programs for the B-2 Spirit, and exploration of expanded B-2 payloads.
• Mission length: Bomber sorties in Epic Fury averaged 38 hours, and the Air Mobility Command panelist said the operation took "dozens and dozens of tankers."
• Fleet age: Neuman said "our youngest bomber is 30-plus years old" and argued new munitions should be built to fit existing bomber bays and pylons instead of modifying aircraft around them.

Quick take

Boeing's Jamie Burgess cautioned that "One can drown in data and starve for information," and said aircrews and commanders need processed, actionable intelligence. Neuman said the service cannot handle sustainment alone and called for clear requirements and close work with industry. The report was written by Justin Oakes of Eighth Air Force and Joint-Global Strike Operations Center Public Affairs.

Read the full story at Soldier Systems Daily.