Hot-pit refueling within NATO countries allows for the B-2 to expand its fuel range and minimize its time on the ground. By exercising the ability to conduct hot-pit refueling in strategic locations, the U.S. and its Allies are able to increase combat airpower throughout the European theater.
“Hot-pit refueling emerges as a transformative tactic in bomber operations, promising heightened versatility,” said U.S. Air Force Gen. James Hecker, commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Africa and NATO Allied Air Command. “This clever technique extends our reach, establishing temporary operational hubs at strategically chosen and even unpredictable locations. These adaptive capabilities are the core of modern airpower projection.”
The ability of U.S. forces and equipment to operate in conjunction with Allies and partners is critical to bolstering an extended network of alliances and partnerships capable of decisively meeting the challenges of today and tomorrow.
“The long-range, penetrating strike the B-2 provides is a truly unique capability in the world; but long range requires a lot of gas. Honing our ability to interoperate with our Allies and utilize partner-nation equipment and infrastructure to refuel can significantly reduce what we often call our ‘tanker bill;’ in some cases it could be the difference between mission success and failure,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Andrew Kousgaard, 393rd Expeditionary Bomb Squadron commander.
As B-2 operations in Europe continue, this historic refueling highlights U.S. and Norwegian cooperation and the ability of U.S. forces to collaborate with Allied and partner nations to confront a broad range of global challenges.
Three B-2 Spirit bombers are currently forward deployed from Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., to Keflavik Air Base, Iceland, in support of Bomber Task Force Europe 23-4.
