On Monday (31), four US Air Force B-52H Stratofortress strategic bombers flew over member countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). As it ed Paris, one of the planes was escorted by a pair of Dassault Rafale D fighters from the French Aerospace Force's Air Force Base 113 in Saint-Dizier.
The aircraft flyby is part of NATO's Operation Allied Sky, where bombers ed over all NATO member countries in Europe. According to USAFE (American Air Forces in Europe and Africa), the operation is also part of the rotation of the Bomber Task Force present on the European continent.
According to a USAFE, the B-52s left Morón Air Base in Spain and flew over allied nations in Europe. Training missions were also conducted with fighter jets and in-flight refueling with KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft from the 100th Air Refueling Wing, based at Mildenhall Air Force Base, England.
On the American continent, US and Canadian forces integrated. According to french air force, Belgian and Dutch fighters “faced” the bombers, while jets from Turkey and Norway escorted others, “demonstrating the Alliance’s capabilities and its willingness to defend Allied territories.”
“The bomber missions demonstrate the credibility of our forces in dealing with a global security environment that is more diverse and uncertain than at any other time in our history”, said General Jeff Harrigian, Commander of USAFE and NATO Allied Air Command. "Today's mission is an impressive demonstration of NATO's air superiority, and together there is no challenge we cannot meet."
