U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bombers from the 307th Bomb Wing landed at RAF Fairford on 11 September to join Exercise Cobra Warrior 2025.
The RAF-led exercise, held twice a year since 2019, focuses on high-end warfighting in contested and degraded environments. This iteration will also serve as the final assessment for several UK Qualified Weapons Instructor courses.
Lt. Col. Kenny Squires, deployed commander for the 307th, said: “The primary objective of our mission during Cobra Warrior 2025 is to enhance interoperability with our NATO and allied partners while executing complex, multi-domain operations. We’re here to train like we fight — in joint, coalition environments — so we can respond effectively to any threat, anywhere in the world.”
The training will take place at locations across England with participation from multiple NATO and partner nations. Scenarios will focus on joint mission planning, tactical integration, and developing procedures for engaging near-peer adversaries.
Squires added: “The B-52 brings strategic reach and long-range strike capabilities to the fight. Exercises like Cobra Warrior 2025 ensure we keep a sharp edge. It also ensures our allies have exposure to heavy bomber integration and capabilities that they may not see regularly so that both of us are prepared for tomorrow’s challenges.”
This is the second time the 307th Bomb Wing has joined Cobra Warrior since 2019.
Hmmm…standard bomber deployment package–normal ops., no problemo. If the remainder of the Squadron, or even more so, the Wing, materializes at RAF Fairford, “Houston, we have a problem.” Very interesting real world scenario could develop w/ repeated Orc incursions of NATO airspace. Mad Vlad appears to be interested in testing the limits. 🤔😳
The US military continues to take part in NATO exercises as normal yet the vibes from the White House are anything but!🤔
What “abnormal” vibes from the White House? President Trump has succeeded in getting a NATO commitment to an increase in defense spending to 5% by 2035. A more equitable distribution of defense spending by NATO allies has been a primary goal of several US Presidents for over 25 years. Trump succeeded where his predecessors failed. Trump’s “vibes” have been to applaud this success and continue US support of NATO as he has always done. All the US gets from Europeans is whining and more whining, no matter what it does. Enough is enough.
Well his very latest is he won’t defend any NATO country buying Russian oil,and at the same time talking about aluminium and rare earth mineral deals that he would like to do with pootin!
Drones flying into NATO airspace “ it could have been a mistake” yeah right! Now we have actual aircraft pushing the boundary,will he support any Baltic country shooting said aircraft down?after all they could have flown there by ‘mistake’🙄
Hand on heart do you really think that he would pull the trigger on Moscow?
Will he do this or will he do that? You’ve been brainwashed by the BBC and Sky News. Just pathetic. Your Prime Minister says that the defense of Ukraine is vital to the UK/NATOs strategic interests. Why then would you oppose President Trump opposition to any ally financing the Russian conduct of the war and jeopardizing the UK’s vital interests?? When you satisfactorily answer that then I’ll carry on further dialogue. You Europeans are such phonies. Everything is Orange Man bad and USA Bad. Start living in the real world.
Really? I agree that certain EU countries have not moved fast enough on Orc energy!I can’t recall saying the US is bad either!
However isn’t a sanctions package bill waiting that would cripple moscows ability to fight the war in Ukraine? It’s Trumps
boast he can stop this war isn’t it? Or have we to wait another ‘two weeks’ for any action?( I wont hold my breath)
As I said when you came asking NATO responded if that’s phoney so be it
As to our spending,perhaps next time you come knocking we will tell you to do one,and look after ourselves first!
Afghan,two gulf wars spring to mind in particular. You don’t spend 5% either as I’ve pointed out its 3.4% of your GDP and your spend on NATO is 16% of the overall NATO budget,isn’t your secretary of war on record saying that he actually wants to cut defence spending?
The BIG difference is here in the UK we are in no doubt that if the stuff hits the fan in Europe due to our defence commitments we will be there with no preconditions will you?
Oh and of course you might well want to stop threatening to annex/invade Canada and Greenland both NATO countries as well👍
maybe Canada will be able to patrol their own airspace in the next decade. maybe not. Europe and Canada are asleep at the wheel in the arctic.
Let’s see how the cousins get on without NORAD then,do American aircraft actually patrol Canadian airspace? There is an agreement about American bases on Greenland they can base aircraft there if they want! Just taking pages from Pootins playbook only reinforces the suspicion of whose side trump is on!
Mmm 3.4% of GDP spent by America on defence and it pays 16% of the NATO budget ( may last year figure)
Also withdrawing heavy brigades from Europe at this time of uncertainty!
American presidents were not to bothered about our spending when they remain the only country to invoke article 5 which the alliance honoured,the consequences of that in blood and treasure during and after altered OUR spending plans drastically! and to what outcome?
If you think you made a mistake in altering your spending plans than that is on you. It’s not the USA’s fault. But then you Europeans have spent a century blaming the US for your own mistakes. Look in the mirror.
Threatening to annex Greenland & Canada for a start. Then there’s the abysmal mishandling of Zelenski in that awful Whitehouse meeting, sucking up to Putin, suporsing opposition in the USA etc. Most people commenting on here have been calling for greater defence spending for ages. Isn’t Trump looking at reducing US defence spending? Besides, the USA isn’t spending as much % GDP as he expects others to.
The way Trump speaks & acts I could see the USA becoming just another derranged dictatorship.
Funny isn’t it?the bloke calls for dialogue but when faced with facts he disappears😀
Europe needs to overspend to catch up. If you include pensions and veteran healthcare in the US defense spending like Germany and several other lame ducks in the EU do, it is about 5%.