The U.S. Air Force deployed an undisclosed number of Boeing-built B-52 bombers to Qatar in a move to support defensive operations and respond to future contingencies in the Middle East against the Islamic State militant organization, Reuters reported Saturday.Andrea Shalal writes Lt. Gen. Charles Brown, commander of the Air Forces Central Command, said the command plans to use the aircraft to support weapons delivery mission as well as perform close-air support, maritime and strategic attack operations in the region.
Lt. Col. Chris Karns, a spokesman for the Central Command, told Reuters that the service branch will not use the bombers in carpet bombing operations since the Islamic State organization does not assemble in large groups.
The B-52 aircraft has eight Pratt & Whitney-built TF33-P-3/103 turbofan engines and is designed to carry up to 70,000 pounds of air-launched cruise missiles, bombs, miniature air-launched decoys and other weapons.
