The bombers have reportedly practiced dropping bombs not too far from Russia, which could send alarm bells ringing in Moscow.

American B-52 strategic bombers, some of which could have brought nuclear ωεɑρσռs to Europe, staged strikes in the Arctic region, only 400 kilometers from the Russian border, local Russian media reported. On August 18, the bombers joined two Swedish JAS Gripen and two Norwegian F-35 fighter aircraft west of Andøya, North Norway, for Bomber Task Force drills.

The B-52s were escorted by Swedish JAS 39 Gripen aircraft over the Swedish airspace, followed by bombing the targets that the Swedish ground forces had picked out in the terrain on the Vidsel firing range, according to the Swedish Armed Forces Forsvarsmakten. The American bombers dropped three GBU-32 bombs. “Witnessing our nation’s JAS Gripen fighter aircraft flying alongside several of America’s most powerful military aircraft visually depicts the strength and solidarity of NATO,” said Major General Carl-Johan Edström, Commander of the Swedish Air Force.

The exercise also included the Norwegian fighters with one of the B-52s training with the Norwegian Army at the Setermoen firing range. The US routinely conducts BTF drills with Norway, with the last edition in February when British and Norwegian F-35s worked out air-to-air maneuvers with US B-52s. The B-52-led drills with Sweden are significant as the latter is becoming a member of NATO. With Sweden and Finland joining NATO, the Nordic nations will have about 250 modern combat aircraft.

Bomber Task Force Mission To Deter Russia

So far, the B-52s from Minot have visited RAF Fairford twice this year for a bomber task force mission. Four aircraft arrived in Europe in February. Before that, in November 2021, B-1B bombers from Dyess Air Force Base in Texas were deployed to RAF Fairford.