Submitted photo A B-52H Stratofortress assigned to the 96th Bomb Squadron at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, lands to participate in Exercise Global Thunder 25 at Minot Air Force Base on Oct. 16. US Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Wesley Davies.

MINOT AIR FORCE BASE – Global Thunder 25, the latest iteration of the U.S. Strategic Command’s annual field training and command and control exercise, began at Minot Air Force Base on Oct. 15.

Exercises Global Thunder are annual Department of Defense training opportunities designed to

train forces and assess joint operational readiness and are not retained in response to current reality.

world events.

GT25 provided training opportunities and exercise scenarios for all of the US. Strategic Command mission areas, with a specific focus on nuclear preparedness. Airmen and B-52H Stratofortresses assigned to the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, integrated with Airmen of the 5th Bomb Wing to assess their deployment readiness while that 91st Missile Wing personnel ran exercise scenarios at nearby missile alert facilities.

“Team Minot is comprised of exceptional, mission-focused Airmen,” said col. Jesse Lamarand, commander of the 5th Bomb Wing. “The 5th BW Warbirds in concert with the 2nd BW Strikers were incredible to watch during this exercise. The ability to credibly convey readiness and lethality is a key component of strategic deterrence, and the GT25 allowed us to do just that.”

During the exercise, personnel assigned to the 5th Bomb Wing and the 91st Missile Wing tested their ability to maintain a safe, secure, effective and ready strategic deterrent force by sustaining simulated alert operations for more than a week. Defenders, aircraft maintainers, flight crew, missile, munitions specialists, airfield management staff, food service specialists and other mission critical personnel worked around the clock under heightened security to meet the exercise’s objectives.

“I couldn’t be more proud of the effort Roughrider Airmen put forth during Global Thunder. They are on watch 24/7/365, ensuring we are available to provide the combat capability and lethality that national leaders use to deter potential adversaries from considering an attack against the US and our allies.” said col. Jimmy Schlabach, commander of the 91st Missile Wing. “Flexing our full readiness capabilities to face uncertainty during such exercises ensures we maintain the effective and ready force needed to protect global security and stability by identifying our force’s strengths and ways we can improve.” “