Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

28th Munitions Squadron

The 28th Munitions Squadron provides conventional munitions and munitions release systems for the 28th Bomb Wing's 37th and 77th Bomb Squadrons; the 366th Wing; Det 4, 57th Wing; and two National Guard units. It maintains all Air Combat Command 180-inch strategic rotary launchers. The Squadron performs maintenance on munitions support equipment and aircraft weapons delivery panels, and provides munitions support for worldwide mobility.

When iron-dropping bombers were needed for NATO's Operation Allied Force, the 28th Munitions Squadron, Ellsworth AFB, S.D., was ready to go. Arriving 31 March 1999, the 54 ammunition troops were ready to meet NATO bombing requirements the following day. Like other deployed squadrons, they unloaded their equipment, set up sections and flights, and proceeded to meet their mission supporting six B-1 combat sorties. In the first 30 days alone, the B-1 dropped about 1,500 Mk-82 500-pound general-purpose bombs.

The 28th Munitions Squadron received shipment of the first two of 13 new Advanced Conventional Bomb Modules 03 April 2000, taking the B-1B one step closer to Block E integration. The new ACBMs differ from the ones currently used as the new modules already have the wiring and electronics capability required to handle Block E weapons upgrades. A bomb module seats inside an aircraft bomb bay and is configured to hold different types and sizes of bombs. Ellsworth is the first bomber base to receive the new modules. The new ACBMs were available for use by base bomb squadrons in mid-May 2000, and the remaining modules were delivered by mid-September 2000.