Four U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress aircraft departed Royal Air Force Fairford, England, following a successful Bomber Task Force deployment.
During their time in Europe, the deployed B-52 unit conducted a series of training missions with other U.S. Air Force assets and participated in operations with multiple NATO countries, including Finland, Sweden, Lithuania, Italy, Norway, the UK, the Czech Republic, and Morocco.
The deployment marked a historic first, with U.S. bombers conducting a simulated live weapons drop in Finland, strengthening NATO alliances and showcasing enhanced integration with a new NATO Ally.
“The first-ever live weapons drop in Finland demonstrated the deepening of our relationships and the ability to operate seamlessly with our NATO Allies,” said Capt. Aaron Gurley, USAFE-AFAFRICA Bomber Task Force mission planner.
Additionally, the B-52s integrated with Lithuanian Joint Terminal Attack Controllers, enhancing close-air support readiness across the Baltic region. The team’s final exercise involved a trilateral operation between Norway, the UK, and the U.S. in the High North, where the three nations executed a multi-domain find, fix, track, and target military exercise with fourth and fifth-generation aircraft.
“Working alongside our Allies and partners highlights the strength of collaboration,” Capt. Gurley continued. “Every mission was a testament to the power of teamwork, shared expertise, and a unified commitment to security. Together, we built solutions that no single nation could achieve alone, proving that our collective strength truly defines the success of every operation.”
“The deployment marked a historic first, with U.S. bombers conducting a simulated live weapons drop in Finland, strengthening NATO alliances and showcasing enhanced integration with a new NATO Ally.”
Whilst Finland joining NATO has significantly increased the RF border with NATO, the locals have noticed that RF forces have mostly left that border, whilst asylum seekers have increased.
The Cold War approach of carpet bombing is so last century with JDAM making precision fire the new normal. However the RF military is busy elsewhere so this visit by USAF is just for sending a message. The Finns already closed their border and started strengthening the border physically.
The ability of RF citizens to enter Finland and to buy property has been a lively discussion for some years and is much more controlled than before. Obviously the illegal invasion of Ukraine has caused many fighting age RF citizens to leave before they were drafted or convicted since prisoners have formed a significant source of recruitment.
Now that RF bases and deployment in Syria is ending the flow of Syrian asylum seekers to Finland should stop also. This had been enabled by RF presumably to disrupt a sovereign democratic nation as there’s zero cultural or ethnic reason why Syrians would want to live in Finland. Just an FSB destabilisation operation. Unlike UK borders, the Finns don’t take any nonsense. They don’t believe immigration is required for their national interest, as successive UK government’s do.
And all the more power to them for that.
Finland, right next to Russia. What a way to annoy someone and start a flipping war. What point was all that live weapon training? Just a waste of cash.
Deterrence is cheaper than war. Russia doesn’t have the balls to actually invade a nato country- these exercises are a reminder why. I can’t help but think anyone who complains about training must be posting from Moscow lmao.
My parents saw the rise of Hitler. Putin has followed exactly in his footsteps, both in RF and surrounding countries. No wonder the Finns are expecting to be next, yet again. I expect the Balts and the Poles are also very apprehensive.
History is generally written by the winning side, but is still worth reading
Well that leaves our own RAF to defend the UK with not much to defend or attack if called to. No AWACS/Bombers/SEAD/ ground based air defence, its ok though because the CDS says we are ready if called to war. And hes a man to trust and talks the truth?.
The USAF currently has 76 B-52Hs with and average age of 62 years per plane. The re-engined and re-radared B-52Js won’t reach IOC until 2033 at the earliest. And it looks like these planes will be worked hard in the next ten years.
The best read I have had for a long time about American B52 bomber’s
Waste of time against peer opponents. Only good against farmers in flip flops
Or the PLA Navy.
B52 H can carry up to 20 cruise missiles launched from the air thats a stand off weapon, so you’re right, you could leave the front line and be wearing your flip flops at home on the farm and it could still reach you.
Nope.
Going to bomb some country then we have to take the refugees
Bombs, bombs, and more bombs… Happy New Year… You are destroying civilisation with your bombs… and your planes…
Oh dear lets uninvent them and uninvent angry humans……
Finland, right next to Russia. What a way to annoy someone and start a flipping war. What point was all that live weapon training? Just a waste of cash.
Not a waste at all, defence is all about preparation.
They may as well have been zeppelins for all the use they are, I for one am happy they’ve facebooked off.
Make peace you shower of fu€£in’ imbeciles.
❤️☮️
They are very very useful, but alas to understand that a measure of subject matter knowledge is required.
The USA always start war away from there home. I live in England and don’t want a war with Russia or anyone. The UK is being used by the USA for their power play. We in the UK are just target’s now.
So many trolls on most articles now, quite sad, ruining decent conversation and subject matter chats!
Putin is the aggressor against sovereign Ukraine. He has done exactly what Hitler did at beginning of WW2. Putin is a mid 20th century mindset dictator who has been in power for far too long. His excuse about having too many Nato countries bordering him if he let Ukraine join Nato or EU has badly backfired be cause his illegal invasion has prompted Finland and Sweden to come off the neutral fence and join Nato. Russia’s border with Nato has doubled and his huge army has been found to be poorly armed and trained and we are now into the 3 year of the illegal invasion, and he had lost well over 100,000 troops and dozens of high ranking officers. He has shown the world how weak they really are.