Exclusive: CNN travels aboard US bomber mission to China's gates

On the edge of the East China Sea, the CNN was on board a bomber B-52 as it turned northeast – toward Alaska, the US and Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana – when the oil pressure gauge on one of its engines began blinking erratically.

Nineteen hours into one of the longest U.S. military missions, the crew had already encountered communications problems and had to make precise fuel calculations as they navigated their 13,000-mile journey from Louisiana to Japan and back.

But this was something different. At the front, both riders began working through their checklists.

Captain Jinan Andrews read each step aloud while Captain Tramaine “Omaha” Barnett piloted the jet.

Sitting in the bomber's only bunk, the flight crew's third pilot, Captain Sabin “Jett” Park, supported them, making sure they didn't lose any items.

With 14 hours of flight and almost 11 thousand kilometers separating the strategic bomber from its base, the pilots made the decision to turn off the engine.

The B-52 that accompanied us across the Pacific Ocean and landed in Japan. Now, our flight, MYLAR11, would return alone and with its engine turned off.

Fortunately, the B-52 has multiple engines, but it's a reminder that the U.S. military still relies on an aircraft that first flew in the 1950s and survived the Cold War for more than 30 years.

The Boeing B-52H Stratofortress is the United States' primary strategic bomber aircraft, having participated in every US war since Vietnam.

A CNN got exclusive access to an epic flight in one of the venerable eight-engine jets that serve as an instantly recognizable symbol of American air power.

This particular jet was manufactured in 1961, and although they are decades older than their crews, the B-52s continue to be the cornerstone of the US bomber fleet, sending an important message to US allies and adversaries alike.

“If we go back and look at both Russia's national leadership and China's national leadership, what are they responding to?” asks Maj. Gen. Jason Armagost, commander of the Eighth Air Force.

“We see that they comment publicly on our bomber task force missions, especially when they involve other (countries) in a very joint and public way.”

Our flight took off in the early hours of April 1st for one of the longest missions in the world.

The B-52 would fly from the U.S. mainland, down through Alaska's Aleutian Islands, along the east coast of Russia and down through China and North Korea to a block of airspace along the Korean Peninsula.

Then, without landing, MYLAR 11 would fly in formation with fighters from South Korea and Japan before returning home.

The flight would take 33 hours and cover more than 21 thousand kilometers. The jet entered cruise at about 8,500 meters, mostly over the frigid waters of the northern Pacific Ocean, where waves were forecast to exceed six meters.

In total, the B-52 was expected to burn 105,000 gallons of jet fuel during the flight.

“Not only are we one of the most visible and flexible parts of the nuclear triad, but it is also a very easy way for the Air Force and the U.S. to provide reassurance to our allies,” said Capt. Bo “NATO” Cain, a nuclear systems officer. weapons in flight.

The nuclear triad, which includes strategic bombers, ballistic missile silos, and ballistic missile submarines, constitutes America's nuclear deterrent. The B-52 is the most mobile element of the triad.

“We have a B-52 where you need it, when you need it, within 48 hours.”

An epic journey

A standard crew for missions of this duration is three pilots, three weapons systems officers, and one electronic warfare officer. Most of the MYLAR11 crew have never been on mission this long.

After a few hours of flight, one thing becomes painfully obvious: the B-52 was never built for comfort.

Although the jet has a wingspan of just over 56 meters and a length of almost 49 meters, the entire crew is crammed into the front of the jet, divided between the confined upper deck and the windowless lower deck.

Pilots alternate seats, often resting in the only bunk on board. For the rest of the crew, finding a position to rest often requires curling up on the floor or leaning against a wall.

Capt. Leo “Swabbie” Weber, a weapons systems officer, described his first 30-plus-hour flight as a “rollercoaster ride.”

“You get excited when you take off, you go through lulls of sleep, and then you realize you’re not even a quarter of the way there,” he said. “Trying to stay focused has been difficult, but it’s a challenge I accept and enjoy.”

In the long stretches of flight between four aerial refuelings, the crew passes the time with casual conversation, rest and snacks.

On MYLAR11, Lt. Rebecca “Vulcan” Moore, an electronic warfare officer, brought chicken nuggets for the crew, ready to heat in the tiny oven situated behind the rows of circuit breakers.

Mini pizza bagels and chocolate chip cookies are also crew favorites.

Moore's official role is to track threats outside the jet, but she takes responsibility for keeping up with everyone inside it.

“I’m trying to make sure I’m paying attention to whoever is tired. Is anyone hungry? Is there anything I can help anyone with?” Moore said.

“As you have seen, this is an old jet and it takes a full crew to resolve all the problems that come with it.”

Future of the B-52

The Air Force is planning to upgrade the B-52H to newer B-52J models, giving it more efficient engines, upgraded avionics systems and new radars.

The modernization program will keep the jets flying for nearly a century since they first entered service in the mid-1950s.

“In the coming decades, we will be able to see how a jet that has been around for decades and decades can continue to evolve over time and be as capable, if not more capable, than ever before,” said Lt. Col. Jared Patterson, 20th Squadron commander. of Bombers.

This year, the Air Force began low-cost production of the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider, the next generation of stealth bombers.

China is not far behind, with Beijing promising that its secretive H-20 strategic bomber will soon be publicly revealed.

Proponents of the B-52 insist it still has a role in the future. “This was probably the most adaptable airframe potentially in the history of aerospace,” said Col. Michael Maginness, 2nd Bomb Wing commander.

“He started his life as a high-level nuclear bomber. We turned it into a low-level penetrating bomber. We turned it into an isolated cruise missile platform. And along the way, it captured almost every other air-to-ground mission defined in the U.S. Department of Defense,” Maginness said.

Mission area

At the western edge of the Pacific Ocean, MYLAR11 reaches the mission area, a rectangle of airspace between southern Japan and South Korea.

Hours earlier, North Korea fired a medium-range ballistic missile test, a stark reminder of the threats in the area.

In October, Chinese fighters intercepted a B-52 bomber at night over the South China Sea, south of our position.

The Chinese jet flew within 3 meters of the much larger bomber in what the US called an “unsafe intercept”. This time, those who are nearby are allied combatants.

Between layers of clouds, our B-52 and a second bomber accompanying it fly in formation with Japanese and South Korean fighters, which take up positions outside our wings.

In reduced visibility with multiple aircraft flying close to each other, the crew remains alert. But smaller fighters, which don't have the endurance of a massive bomber, can't stick around for long. The mission requires precise timing.

“The more allies there are, the more complex and interesting the mission becomes,” said Captain Sabin “Jett” Park, one of the B-52 pilots.

After taking a few photos of the jets in formation, we soon head home when the engine 5 warning light glows bright orange. Within minutes, the crew shuts down the engine. There is no panic – just risk management.

Even with one engine off, the B-52 has seven engines to get it home. It is not a smart plane like modern 5th generation fighters, but it is redundant, with numerous backup systems to carry it through its missions.

“Despite how many years the B-52 has been in operation and is considered a legacy aircraft, it is formidable,” said Captain Jinan Andrews. “She’s a tough girl.”

After skirting the airspace over eastern Russia on the return flight, we prepared for the long drive home.

Everyone is tired, especially as we approach the 24-hour flight mark, but the mission is not yet complete. Landing any aircraft is a challenge that becomes even more difficult due to the duration of the flight.

And the B-52 brings one last surprise for the crew. On final approach, with Barksdale Air Force Base looming in our nose, the right main landing gear does not extend.

“Go ahead and do the emergency extension,” orders Captain Tramaine “Omaha” Barnett, mission commander.

Seconds later, we touched down after 33 hours on Runway 33, opening the jet's drag parachute as we slowed down the runway.

*With information from Jeremy Harlan, CNN.