Sentry Contributor
The B-52 Stratofortress is considered one of the most versatile aircraft in history due to its long operating range and ability to carry a variety of armaments. The United States currently operates 76 of them, which for decades has underpinned the U.S. Air Force’s bomber fleet as reliable and resilient delivery platforms for precision munitions.
Two U.S. Air Force B-52s completed a trans-Atlantic training mission in September 2024 as part of a NATO-led find, fix, track and target (F2T2) exercise, demonstrating the ability of the U.S. Air Force to integrate with partner forces and validate U.S. global strike capabilities.
The bombers began their mission at Minot Air Force Base (AFB) in North Dakota, flying over 7,500 kilometers roundtrip to the exercise location in Poland and returning to Minot AFB. During the exercise they worked in close coordination with 18 fighter aircraft as well as refueling and support aircraft. According to NATO Allied Air Command, the F2T2 exercise required precise coordination in all domains — air, land, sea, cyber, and space — to execute. Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets were used to locate notional targets and communicate target locations to other air or ground assets with capabilities to strike the targets in an established time limit.
Spain joined the exercise with four F-18 Hornets, while the Netherlands participated with their 5th generation F-35 aircraft, Germany with Tornado fighters, and the Danish Air Force with F-16s. Poland and the U.S. provided intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets and air-to-air refueling capabilities were provided by Germany and the United Kingdom.
“Our ability to work side-by-side with Allies is a key advantage, sending a message of assurance to our friends while also deterring potential aggressive actions by strategic competitors,” said Gen. James Hecker, commander, U.S. Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa.
“The successful execution of this NATO-led mission affords us the opportunity to share best practices while also demonstrating our steadfast commitment to Allies. Executing these multidomain exercises ensures NATO assets are ready to respond to any potential threat to the Alliance.”
Emphasizing fighter integration, Lt. Col. Rafael Ichaso, Spanish detachment commander, said, “These kinds of exercises are an incredible opportunity to train and demonstrate Spanish F-18 Hornet capabilities and determination. Almost a six-hour flight with refueling, in coordination with other NATO assets, to deliver our high precision strike capabilities against any possible target is a big and important challenge for the PAZNIC [Spanish] detachment.”
The mission was an extension of Bomber Task Force (BTF) 24-4 in Europe, which saw two B-52s visiting Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base, Romania, for the first time, according to the U.S. Air Force. BTF missions allow the U.S. to train with Allies and Partners across the globe. Such exercises also allow familiarization with other theaters of operation, ensuring bomber crews are armed with knowledge that will allow them to operate in any region under any conditions.
The return trip for the B-52s marked the second time in a single flight they crossed the Atlantic Ocean, once again highlighting the long-range capability that allows them to reach strategic targets. The ability to deliver precision global strike capabilities underscores the trans-Atlantic link within the NATO Alliance and represents a steadfast commitment to protect NATO territory and populations, safeguard the airspace and support a stable security environment by deterring potential aggression.