20220729-MMPI0106
On Friday 29th July 2022 I ventured to RAAF Base Amberley near Ipswich, Queensland, Austalia to hope to catch a view of the USAF B-2A Spirit stealth bombers that were operating from the base. The B-2's and supporting KC-135 tankers were participating in the Enhanced Air Cooperation (EAC) initiative. EAC provides operational integration training between US and Australian air assets. During the month-long operation, the B-2 aircraft operated with RAAF aircraft including KC-30A MRTT tankers, E-7A Wedgetail AEW&C, F-35A Lightning II fighters and EA-18G Growlers. On this morning, I managed to see one of the two B-2's in residence for the operation, this being 82-1067 "Spirit of Arizona" as it took off on a morning mission. This aircraft is from the 393rd Bomb Squadron out of Whiteman AFB, Missouri, USA. Seeing this aircraft rise up above the treeline at the bases' perimeter is an eerie sight, looking like no other aircraft I've seen. Along with the B-2, I was able to capture KC-135R Stratotanker 62-3577 of the 909th Air Refueling Squadron "Young Tigers" out of Kadena Air Base, Japan. Of RAAF aircraft, I got KC-30A MRTTs A39-004 and A39-005, E-7A Wedgetail A30-003 and EA-18G Growlers A46-001, A46-002, A46-003 and A46-005. A really exciting morning where I got to see the B-2 Spirit and some good opportunities for close takeoff shots of several larger military aircraft.
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