[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 108 (Thursday, June 29, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1363]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



[[Page E 1363]]


                  B-1B RECORD FLIGHT AROUND THE EARTH

                                 ______


                        HON. CHARLES W. STENHOLM

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 29, 1995
  Mr. STENHOLM. Mr. Speaker, in Texas several weeks ago, two B-1B 
bombers established new around-the-world records and made aviation 
history. I am proud to say this historic flight started and finished in 
Abilene, the city known as the star of Texas.
  On Saturday, June 3, 1995, at Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, TX, 
two B-1B's landed at 3:23 and 3:24 p.m. completing a historic, nonstop, 
around-the-world flight. This occurred in conjunction with Dyess Big 
Country Appreciation Day, symbolizing both the 10-year anniversary of 
the B-1B at Dyess and the base's appreciation of the local community. 
The landing, greeted by cheers and applause, reflects the closeness and 
cooperation of the Abilene and Dyess Air Force Base community. More 
importantly to the American people, this performance demonstrates the 
B-1B's unique ability to meet our Nation's present and future defense 
challenges.
  When confirmed by the National Aeronautics Association, the planes 
will have officially made the fastest around-the-world flight using 
aerial refueling. This record-breaking event accomplished the practical 
purpose of demonstrating the long-range, power-projection capability of 
the B-1B.
  I am pleased to describe this successful mission, termed ``Coronet 
Bat.'' It challenged crews and maintainers to prepare for the launch of 
four B-1B's on June 2, at 3 a.m., with two scheduled to fly the 
unprecedented nonstop flight around the world. As planned, one B-1B 
recovered at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia, another at Lajos Field 
in the Azores, while the primary two B-1B's successfully 
circumnavigated the globe and returned to Dyess Air Force Base in 36.4 
hours.
  The flight routed B-1B crews over the North Atlantic, through the 
Strait of Gibraltar, across the Mediterranean Sea, south to the Indian 
Ocean, north over the Pacific Ocean to the Aleutian Islands, southeast 
of the western coast of the United States and back to the Lone Star 
State's Dyess Air Force Base. The successful completion of the Coronet 
Bat demonstrates the immense capability of the B-1B and reinforces its 
position as a vital contributor to our conventional bomber force.
  Let me further emphasize the meticulous planning, requiring support 
across Air Force commands, that went into this highly successful 
mission. Global power missions, such as Coronet Bat, provide valuable 
training in peacetime for air crews and maintainers preparing for quick 
response to any major regional conflict. More importantly, this mission 
mirrored a realistic training scenario for wartime taskings by dropping 
practice bombs over the Pachino Range of Italy; in the Torishima Range, 
near Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan; and in the Utah Test and 
Training Range.
  Further proving the B-1B's ability to respond rapidly and decisively 
around the globe, this B-1B team overcame major obstacles. They 
encountered monsoon related thunderstorms over
 the Indian Ocean and a tropical depression associated with tropical 
storm Deanna near the Phillippines. Crews received regular updates via 
satellite and radio throughout the flight to apprise them of upcoming 
weather. Together with onboard systems, the B-1B crews were able to 
avoid potential weather related problems.

  A number of challenges were met by those people involved in this 
mission. It required a genuine team effort, designed to exercise the 
total force capabilities of our Nation's military. Lt. Col. Douglas 
Raaberg, who is the mission commander and 9th Bomb Squadron commander, 
credits maintainers, flyers and support personnel from all Air Force 
commands. He said, ``it was a true Air Force team effort from the 
youngest airman on the flightline to the Thule Greenland radio operator 
who helped with radio telephone patches, to all those at the tanker 
units and staffs at different headquarters and wings.'' He further 
remarks, ``It is global teamwork at its best.''
  The planes required only minor routine maintenance upon completion of 
this 36-hour flight. This is a real tribute to the durability of the B-
1B. It reinforces the outstanding results of the recently completed 
congressionally mandated operational readiness assessment and 
highlights the Air Force plans for the B-1B conventional upgrade 
programs.
  Mr. President, by meeting a number of different challenges over the 
years, the B-1B has earned justifiably the designation as the backbone 
of the heavy bomber force. This global power mission once again 
demonstrated the capability of the B-1B to deliver weapons to any spot 
in the world and return nonstop to the United States. In this period of 
budget constraints, I urge my colleagues to consider carefully how the 
B-1B is uniquely suited to meeting our Nation's present and future 
defense challenges before casting their votes on any defense measure 
affecting our heavy bomber force. The B-1B is an efficient and 
effective long-range bomber, and it should be funded as the centerpiece 
of American air power projection.


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