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Bombers Return to Europe for Exercises with NATO Allies and Partners

  • Published
  • United States European Command

STUTTGART, Germany – B-52H Stratofortresses from Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, and 800 Airmen, deployed to Royal Air Force Fairford, United Kingdom, to support various exercises throughout Europe this June.

Training with Allies and joint partners improves coordination between Allies and enables the U.S. Air Force to build enduring relationships necessary to confront a broad range of global challenges. The strategic bomber deployment will support exercises Arctic Challenge, Saber Strike and BALTOPS in the U.S. European Command area of responsibility. U.S. European Command.

The deployment of strategic bombers strengthens the effectiveness of RAF Fairford as the U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa’s forward operating bomber location, while providing important integration and interaction with our joint partners, UK and NATO allies.

For more information regarding this deployment, contact U.S. Air Forces Europe PA at usafepao.pao@us.af.mil.

The $84 million bombers can carry 312,197 pounds (141,610 kilograms) of fuel, a payload of 70,000 pounds (31,500 kilograms), can fly 650 miles per hour at 50,000 feet (15,151.5 meters) for more than 8,800 miles. More details: http://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104465/b-52-stratofortress/

U.S. European Command is one of the United States’ two forward-deployed Geographic Combatant Commands whose area of focus covers almost one-fifth of the planet, including all of Europe, large portions of Asia, parts of the Middle East and the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans. The command is responsible for military relations with NATO and 51 countries with a total population of close to a billion people.