After the turbulent month of August, where tensions between North Korea and the United States have hit an all-time high, Barksdale’s 2nd Bomb Wing remains ready to face any threat, anywhere in the world, at any time.

Kim Jong-un and his regime detonated its first hydrogen bomb over the Labor Day weekend. The bomb was estimated to be North Korea’s biggest so far, with experts estimating the yield anywhere from 50-120 kilotons. On Monday night it appeared as though the North was moving its mobile ICBM units, which may or may not be equipped with nuclear tipped missiles, closer to its west coast.

barksdale airforce base and Kim Jong-un

Kim Jong-un, source North Korea State Media http://www.kcna.kp/

Captain Andrew Caulk from the Bomb Wing’s Public Affairs Office, stated while he couldn’t comment on specific missions the Wing is flying, he could say that “the men and women of the 2nd are training every day to meet any threat.”

The 2nd Bomb Wing fly’s the enormous B-52 Stratofortress, an airframe that has been in service with the United States Air Force since 1955. “The B-52 is a global platform, and we travel around the world every day to let our enemies know that we can reach out and touch them. Our maintainers are working their butts off to keep our aircraft flying”, he said.

Barksdale’s 2nd Bomb Wing in one of only two units that fly the B-52, the other is located at Minot Air Force in North Dakota. Due to the B-52’s long range and large payload, it is probable that the 2nd could be called upon if war were to break out.

While the Bomb Wing’s remains ready, war is the last thing they wish for. “Insurance and deterrence” are the wings main objectives according to Caulk.