RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany -- A U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress has entered European airspace on a mission to participate in the Astral Knight 2019 exercise at Aviano Air Base, Italy. The mission, scheduled to take off and land from Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, has been closely coordinated with allies and partners in the region.
Astral Knight 2019 is a U.S. Air Forces in Europe-led, joint, multinational exercise involving Airmen, Soldiers and Sailors from the United States working with service members from Croatia, Italy and Slovenia. The exercise is an integrated air and missile defense exercise focused on conducting defense of key terrain. Training will involve a combination of flight operations and computer-assisted scenarios.
The participation of strategic bombers in exercises like Astral Knight demonstrates U.S. commitment to assuring allies, deterring adversaries and enhancing regional security.
The B-52 is assigned to the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale AFB.
This statement was released in order to promote transparency and communicate our intentions. For more information, contact U.S. Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa Public Affairs at +49 3671-47-6558 or by e-mail at usafepao.pao@us.af.mil.