Operation Arc Light: The Role of B-52 Bombers in the Vietnam War

From 1965 to 1973, the United States Air Force conducted Operation Arc Light, utilizing B-52 Stratofortress bombers to provide battlefield air interdiction during the Vietnam War. These missions targeted enemy bases, supply routes, troop concentrations, and occasionally supported ground combat operations directly. Initially designed for nuclear payloads, the B-52s were adapted for conventional warfare starting in 1964, with strategic bomber crews trained to deliver conventional munitions using the B-52F model.

B-52Fs were first stationed at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam and U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield in Thailand. To enhance their conventional bomb capacity, Project Big Belly retrofitted B-52Ds to carry up to 30 tons of conventional bombs. By mid-April 1966, the B-52Fs were replaced with these modified B-52Ds. Additional deployments included the B-52G model later in the war.

B-52Ds also operated from Kadena Air Base in Okinawa and were deployed by the 96th Strategic Air Wing from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, in mid-1970. After their Arc Light deployment, the 376th Strategic Wing ceased bomber operations but continued tanker missions under the Young Tiger program.

The first Arc Light mission occurred on June 18, 1965, when 27 B-52Fs from Andersen AFB dropped 750-pound and 1,000-pound bombs on a Viet Cong stronghold. The following day, two B-52Fs were lost in a mid-air collision during a pre-strike refueling operation. Missions were typically flown in three-plane formations, or "cells," with bomb releases occurring from the stratosphere, making the aircraft undetectable from the ground.

The B-52s played a pivotal role in breaking enemy sieges, including the battles at Khe Sanh in 1968 and An Loc and Kontum in 1972.

In February 1972, President Richard Nixon ordered the resumption of bombing in North Vietnam to expedite peace talks. This led to Operation Bullet Shot, which deployed over 15,000 personnel to Andersen AFB within 90 days. With limited infrastructure, temporary tents were erected to house crews working extensive shifts. Both B-52D and B-52G bombers were used in these intensified operations.

Arc Light missions continued until the cessation of U.S. combat operations on August 15, 1973. Over the course of the campaign, 126,615 sorties were flown, resulting in the loss of 31 B-52 bombers—18 due to hostile fire and 13 from operational issues.

Typical Bomb Loads

• B-52D: Up to 108 500-pound bombs or a mixed load of 84 500-pound bombs in the bomb bay and 24 750-pound bombs on underwing pylons.
• B-52F: Configurations included 36 to 51 bombs of varying weights.
• B-52G: Limited to 27 bombs, all housed in the bomb bay with no external load capacity.

Operation Arc Light demonstrated the versatility and power of the B-52 Stratofortress, showcasing its ability to transition from a nuclear deterrent to a critical tool for conventional warfare in Vietnam.