Four U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress aircraft conducted flights from RAF Fairford, England, to airspace over the Baltic Sea for a 24-hour period on March 22, 2019, demonstrating U.S. ability to maintain sustained combat capacity for a prolonged duration.
The purpose of the flights was to conduct theater familiarization for aircrew members and to demonstrate U.S. commitment to allies and partners through the global employment of our military forces. U.S. Strategic Command regularly tests and evaluates the readiness of strategic assets to ensure we are able to honor our security commitments.
The B-52s, part of the Bomber Task Force currently deployed to the U.S. European Command area of responsibility, are from the 2nd Bomb Wing, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The aircraft arrived in theater on March 14-15 and are temporarily operating out of RAF Fairford. The deployment of strategic bombers to the U.K. helps exercise RAF Fairford as U.S. Air Forces in Europe’s forward operating location for bombers.
Strategic bomber missions enhance the readiness and training necessary to respond to any potential crisis or challenge across the globe.
For more information, contact U.S. Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa Public Affairs at +49 06371-47-6558 or e-mail usafepao.pao@us.af.mil or usafepa.pastaffdutyofficer@us.af.mil.