U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors fly alongside a U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress above the Arabian Gulf, March 29, 2022. The presence of the B-52H and F-22s showcased U.S. Central Command's ability to deliver combat airpower at a moment's notice, as well as its commitment to partners and regional security. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jerreht Harris
Audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.org
A USAF B-52 flew through the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility on March 29, integrating with American F-22s and aircraft from nine other countries over the Middle East, U.S. Air Forces Central Command announced April 2.
The B-52 bomber, assigned to the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot Air Force Base, N.D., flew over the East Mediterranean, Arabian Peninsula, and Red Sea after taking off from RAF Fairford in the United Kingdom, where it is deployed as part of a bomber task force mission.
The F-22s, from the 1st Fighter Wing at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., that joined the bomber have been in CENTCOM since February—a squadron deployed to the United Arab Emirates to respond to recent drone and missile strikes by Iranian-backed Yemeni Houthi rebels.
A KC-10 also joined the mission, refueling the B-52 over Saudi Arabia, according to images released by AFCENT.
The B-52 also flew with nine other nations’ aircraft, AFCENT commander Lt. Gen. Gregory M. Guillot said in a statement. According to official images released by AFCENT and other nations’ ministries of defense, those included Typhoons from the Royal Air Force, F-15s from the Israeli Air Force, F-15s from the Royal Saudi Air Force, F-15s from the Qatar Emiri Air Force, and F-16s and Typhoons from the Royal Air Force of Oman.
“With each bomber task force mission, [AFCENT] and partner air forces demonstrate the strength of regional airpower,” Guillot said in a statement “An unprecedented nine countries flew with our B-52 today, so this mission clearly signaled our ability to quickly bring forces to the theater and operate seamlessly with our partners during a training event that signals our combined commitment to regional stability and defense.”
This is the second Bomber Task Force mission to fly in CENTCOM this year—the first took place Feb. 14, when a Minot B-52 flew from RAF Fairford and integrated with a pair of Marine Corps F/A-18s.
Audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.org
The Royal International Air Tattoo, one of the world’s biggest annual air shows, will permanently move from its longtime home of RAF Fairford, a longtime base for the U.S. Air Force, to a different military installation in the United Kingdom, its organizers announced Nov. 4.
Shield AI has finished building its first full-scale prototype X-BAT, a vertical takeoff-and-landing autonomous drone, and is now moving it into a new development and testing phase.
General Atomics, the maker of one of the Air Force’s first Collaborative Combat Aircraft, has ambitious plans for its family of semi-autonomous drones beyond the FQ-42, including a flying-wing aircraft capable of carrying out both reconnaissance and strike missions. Meanwhile, the Air Force Research Laboratory announced a new program to…
Like a new car from the dealership, an HH-60W helicopter touched down at Joint Base Andrews, Md., on Nov. 2 with paperwork, a set of keys, and that fresh-from-the-factory smell. The newly activated 5th Helicopter Squadron accepted its first “Whiskey” in a brief but pomp-filled ceremony attended by the Air…
The U.S. conducted limited airstrikes against Iran on Nov. 2, the latest in a series of attacks the U.S. military has undertaken in the past few weeks but not publicly disclosed. The strikes occurred just ahead of the U.S. midterm elections.
The crash of a T-38 trainer jet this May—which caused a weekslong pause in flights across the fleet—was caused by an improperly installed pin for one of the jet’s horizontal stabilizers, according to a new accident report released Oct. 30. When the pin disengaged midflight, it created the slightest amount…
The Air Force in October carried out a homeland defense mission, with jets including F-16 Fighting Falcons, in Alaska’s remote Aleutian Islands to show a base there could safeguard the northern regions.
A new think tank analysis finds a hypothetical blended-wing body tanker could offer twice as much refueling performance as the KC-46A Pegasus and recommends the Air Force buy scores of them, as the service prepares to evaluate a BWB demonstrator next year and must juggle its future tanker plans with…
For years, U.S. and South Korean officials have said they want to reach an arrangement where, should war break out on the peninsula, Seoul’s military commanders would have operational control of American forces there. Such a setup would be unprecedented in modern times and what it would mean for U.S.…
✓
Thank You!
Check your inbox to verify your email address and finish setting up your AFA account.
★
Welcome Back!
An account with this email already exists. Please log in to continue.
Subscribe to the Air & Space Forces Daily Report
The latest news from Air & Space Forces Magazine, as well as news from other leading publications, delivered right to your inbox every morning!
We’re sorry, there has been an error. Please review your input or try again later.
