A USAF Boeing B-52H Stratofortress (reg. 61-0036, callsign PIOUS 97) carried out an extensive mission across Northern and Eastern Europe today.
The bomber, which had departed from Morón AB in southern Spain, performed an aerial refueling operation east of the United Kingdom before continuing its route over the North Sea, Denmark, and Germany.
The aircraft then entered the Baltic region, where it was escorted by NATO fighters while a NATO AWACS and a British RC-135W Rivet Joint operated in the same area.
The B-52H orbited for a long time between Estonia and Latvia, flying close to the Russian border and only a few dozen kilometers from St. Petersburg, before heading southwest on its return leg.
This mission represents another clear demonstration of NATO’s long-range strike capabilities and its continued commitment to deterrence operations along the eastern flank. Läs artikel