Notes on USAF Special Flights


A few notes to explain the different categories into which the flights have been divided, with a description of typical mission profiles derived from observation.

  1. Transportation of special weapons between Kirtland AFB and overseas deployment sites (here, Europe).

    Within the contiguous USA, special weapons are moved exclusively by road transport, so this category excludes such movements.

    Note that the load status of the primary is not discernable from the mission profile, hence the relevant steps above are marked '(possibly)'.

    Provision is made along several stretches of the route of non-stop flights for mid-air refuelling. Tanker support from McGuire AFB and RAF Mildenhall has been recorded for western and eastern parts of the North Atlantic respectively. This support has also involved 'forward positioning' tankers in advance of the flight to an airfield closer to, or otherwise more convenient for, the refuelling area.

    On the (possibly-) loaded legs of the operation, the primary aircraft will fly only over the USA, the country of the deployment site being serviced, and other countries that have special arrangements with USA to allow these flights.

    The role of the 'spares', it seems, is two-fold. First, they can replace the primary should it develop some condition that prevents it completing its mission safely. Secondly, should there be a serious incident while transporting special weapons (especially damage to the weapons) the spares can carry immediate response teams and their equipment to an airfield close to the incident site. Clearly, the spare at Kirtland AFB covers initial response in USA, the spare at RAF Lakenheath covers Europe. But should the incident take place in Europe, the spare at Kirtland AFB would be available to transport follow-on responders from DoE NNSA and USAF at Kirtland AFB.

  2. Other cargoes relating to special weapons, transported between Kirtland AFB and deployment sites in USA and overseas (here, Europe).

    The same strict overflight rules as for category 0 also apply in this case. For this reason, a mission serving Europe will usually be restricted to either northern or southern Europe. Flying between the two regions involves flying west over the Atlantic, then north or south, then east into the destination region (see this mission).

    Some cargoes to deployment sites within the USA are delivered by flights by DoE NNSA aircraft (and probably road vehicles). Since the DoE does not operate outside the USA, it can be assumed that such cargoes (if applicable to the deployed weapons) are delivered by these USAF flights.

  3. Other cargoes transported between USA and overseas deployment sites (here, Europe); itinerary does NOT include Kirtland AFB.

Understandably, there are strict minimum requirements for the proficiency of aircrews involved in all these flights, and for the maintenance of aircraft and other equipment involved. It must also be stressed that there are similar security requirements. Aircrew members involved will acquire significant knowledge about location, types and numbers of special weapons deployed outside USA, and thus will have been subjected to intense scrutiny by security agencies before being assigned to units peforming these missions. These are good reasons why only a single unit is performing these special missions.