The United States has deployed additional B-52H Stratofortress bombers to RAF Fairford, bringing the total number of forward-based American heavy bombers in England to 23 as part of the ongoing Operation Epic Fury, according to open-source tracking and analysis by UK Defence Journal Senior Editor Jon.
The latest arrivals include two B-52H aircraft, identified by callsigns “BAZOO51” and “BAZOO52”, adding to a growing force that now includes eight B-52s alongside a larger contingent of B-1B Lancers already operating from the Gloucestershire base, with the deployment forming part of a wider US effort to sustain long-range strike operations linked to ongoing action against Iranian targets.
Even More Bombers Arrive to RAF Fairford!! #FreeIran
— Operation EPIC FURY —A total of 2 additional B-52H “Stratofortress” bombers, operating as callsigns “BAZOO51” and “BAZOO52” have arrived at RAF Fairford (EGVA) this afternoon, bringing the total US bomber fleet to 23… pic.twitter.com/28QhjsE5Cz
— DefenceGeek 🇬🇧 (@DefenceGeek) March 28, 2026
Operation Epic Fury, launched by U.S. Central Command, is focused on dismantling Iranian military capabilities, including missile infrastructure and associated systems, with long-range bombers playing a central role in delivering large-scale conventional strike options, according to the U.S. Department of War.
RAF Fairford has become a key hub for these operations, with its ability to support all major US strategic bomber types allowing aircraft to conduct missions more efficiently into the Middle East, reducing transit times and enabling sustained sortie generation from Europe.
Recent weeks have seen a steady flow of aircraft into the UK, with earlier deployments of B-1B Lancers followed by B-52 reinforcements, reflecting what appears to be a deliberate scaling of long-range strike capability as the operation continues.
The B-52 Stratofortress remains the backbone of US long-range strike capability, able to carry up to around 70,000 pounds of weapons and operate over distances exceeding 8,800 miles without refuelling, giving it the ability to deliver sustained, high-volume strikes from well outside the immediate theatre.
Operating at high subsonic speeds and with a large payload capacity, the aircraft is designed for endurance and mass firepower, allowing it to deliver a wide mix of conventional munitions while remaining a key part of the US strategic bomber force decades after entering service.
Alongside it, the B-1B Lancer provides a different capability set, designed as a supersonic, variable-sweep wing bomber capable of high-speed penetration and rapid response strike missions, with speeds exceeding 900 mph and a range of more than 7,000 miles when supported by aerial refuelling.
The aircraft carries one of the largest conventional payloads in the US inventory, up to around 75,000 pounds of munitions, and is optimised for flexible strike operations, able to deliver a mix of precision-guided and general-purpose weapons from its internal weapons bays.
And yet Trump still points a finger at Starmer!
Ah sights like this make me wish we still had the Vulcan
Yes I know if we did still have them, we would only be able to afford one and that one would only be available one month out of the year, but a man can dream 😌
Thought we were just allowing use of facilities for defensive actions? Looks to me like we’re supporting an offensive campaign…
You must remember that Starmer is a master at Quantum Politics.
Imagine a box, inside of which is his policy on support for the US over Iran. Quantum physics suggests that the policy exists in multiple states (eg, defensive only, offensive but for defensive purposes only, offensive and defensive) simultaneously, and will remain so until the lid of the box is removed. At that moment (because it is being viewed) the policy exists in one state only, and that becomes Starmer’s policy for the day. Tomorrow, if the lid is lifted again, the policy it displays could again be anything, and that becomes… etc.
Starmer keeps all his policies in boxes like this.
Nice one – like it.
I think it’s the same box that Donald trump is keeping his Iran strategy inside 😀
Donald has a strategy?
defensive action only one assumes.
I suspect we know nothing about where the ordnance is going.
Transit time not reduced by the need to fly via Gibraltar, the rest of Europe is not so keen to be involved. Trump really needs some decent advisers.
Still onwards to Kharg Island, I guess.
Enough is enough. If we’re not careful, the US is going to drag us into this mess. As it is, Iran think we’re complicit by allowing them to use bases in the UK. Are we/Iran supposed to believe that these assets will only be used defensively? Given the current state of the US, I highly doubt we can trust that claim.
I’ve always been a big supporter of the Anglo-US relationship but I think the time has come for the UK gov’t to put their foot down and say no. How many times can the orange baffoon insult and denigrate us before we say enough is enough?
I’m in the same position.
I’ve seen my support and respect for America fall from positive to seriously believing that America is worse than China and as bad as Russia.
Neither Trump or the rest of the USA will thank us for supporting US operations, both JD Vance and Trump criticised us for supporting Bushes war.
Politically and strategically speaking America is a basket case and it’s never going to get better, I love Americans but there is no way for us to square their political choices.
We need to distance ourselves as much as possible. Europe should potentially think about doing a deal with China now. The Taiwan problem can probably be kicked far enough down the road like Hong Kong that we can find some form of political fudge that’s acceptable to both sides. Call Taiwan a dominion and form a Chinese commonwealth or something. Europe can negotiate with Taiwan and China like trump is doing with Ukraine and Russia. Beyond that I don’t get the impression that China has any interest in expansion except maybe Russian territory in Siberia.
Starmer has played it about right so far, not supporting US action but not hindering them and backing our regional Allie’s.
He is falling down on the defense investment side but with UK borrowing costs spiking again there are no easy choices. Other than the basic state pension everything else has been cut to the bone.
We do have other options though. We can issue war bonds and get our Allie’s like Norway, Singapore and Qatar to buy them. We can make holding a % of them a mandatory requirement for ISA’s and SIPP’s. Start selling them at the post office and I’ll buy them.
We need to double down on European NATO, maybe even forming a new alliance with in NATO (JEF+Germany,Canda,Poland,France) and make it clear to the USA and China that the NATO Article 6 is now in effect and that the pacific is not a NATO theatre.
Most of all we need to get full independence or our nuclear capability and actively start developing an alternative to the B61 for NATO militaries.
Poland,Germany and Sweden have all indicated a willingness to pay for this. Mating Stomshadow with Holbrook, we can have a soemthing ready in a year or two if we want to.
Hear, hear.
Unfortunately it will not happen.
A lot of defensive carpet bombing missions in a war won weeks ago following the obliteration of the useless enemy. Carry on Emperor Trump and your court of cretins dancing to dear old Benjamin’s deranged schemes.. The world can think itself lucky if this is over by Christmas.