The U.S. Has Deployed B-52 Bombers as a Warning to Iran and Russia
Earlier this month, Iran warned that the U.S. deployment of B-52 Stratofortress bombers to the Middle East would be a destabilizing presence," and condemned the presence of U.S. aircraft and warships.
"We have always believed that the presence of America in the region is a destabilizing presence," said Esmeail Baghaei, Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson.
While Baghaei also said that the Islamic Republic wouldn't be deterred by the deployment of the long-range strategic bombers, the U.S. has also shown it remained committed to countering Iran and its regional proxies. That included a bomber task force (BTF) mission over the Arabian Peninsula in which a pair of U.S. Air Force's B-52H bombers was escorted by two Royal Air Force (RAF) Eurofighter Typhoons.
"U.S. B-52 Stratofortress bombers from Minot Air Force Base integrated with RAF and regional partners over the Arabian Peninsula during a bomber task force mission on Nov 18th. These missions demonstrate our commitment to regional security and deterrence alongside our allies," the United States Air Force Central Command (AFCENT) announced on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
AFCENT did not identify where the B-52s operated from, but Hans Kristensen, director of the Nuclear Information Project at the Federation of American Scientists shared images on X and Bluesky of satellite images from @Planet, which showed six Stratofortress bombers at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
According to the Aviationist, the RAF Typhoons were operating from RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus, and were reported to be carrying two Paveway IV bombs, as well as both short-range and beyond visual range air-to-air missiles.
Two More B-52s Flew Near Russia's Doorsteps
Another pair of B-52s, operating from RAF Fairford in the UK, took part in a flight over the North Sea and Baltic Sea, crossing over Danish and Finnish airspace before returning to the RAF base on Monday. Dubbed "PHARO FLIGHT" it took the bombers close to the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.
It is just the most recent sortie of the bombers near Russia, which serves as a reminder to the Kremlin of the aircraft's capabilities.
The B-52s Are Making Moves
Currently, 10 B-52s, or around 15% of the U.S. Air Force's fleet, are now deployed to bases around the world. The air service maintains 76 active bombers, with 58 considered operational with the 2nd Bomb Wing and 5th Bomb Wing, while 18 are in the reserve forces of the 307th Bomb Wing, and another dozen are now kept in long-term storage at the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base "Boneyard."
The original B-52A made its maiden flight in 1954, while the B-52B officially entered service a year later. The last B-52H was delivered in October 1962. A total of 744 were produced, and the final 76 are expected to remain in service into the 2040s or later.
To keep the aging bombers flying, the Pentagon has literally invested billions of dollars, and the B-52s have received considerable upgrades that have included (or will include) new sensors, new crew workstations, improved cockpit layout, new engines, and even the addition of a privacy screen for the aircraft's lavatory.
Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.
Image Credit: Creative Commons and/or Shutterstock.
From the Vault