Two U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancers assigned to the 7th Bomb Wing, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, landed at Morón Air Base, Spain, Mar. 26, 2024. Their arrival brought the total number of U.S. bombers stationed there to four, completing the deployment of Bomber Task Force 24-2.
The strategic bombers transited into U.S. European Command's area of operations, going through the Barents Sea. Throughout the missions the four U.S. aircraft were operating in international airspace and in full accordance with international law.
“Our ability to maneuver through the Arctic, and forward posture strategic bombers in Europe, is key to assuring our Allies and partners of our commitment to regional security and stability,” said Gen. James Hecker, commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa and NATO Allied Air Command. “The global security environment requires a forward-leaning approach, and we will continue to meet this challenge through strategic planning and innovative operations.”
The completion of this mission demonstrates the ongoing and adaptable U.S. operations across the European and Arctic regions, adapting to the evolving security environment alongside Allies and partners.
BTF 24-2 is a routine mission part of Large Scale Global Exercise 2024, an umbrella exercise that incorporates dozens of separate exercises and military activities, under multiple combatant commands, that enable the U.S. Joint Force to train with Allies and partners and improve shared understanding, trust and interoperability on security challenges across the globe.
The bombers and supporting personnel will conduct a series of missions to train alongside Allies and partners during the deployment. Through these missions, USAFE-AFAFRICA enables dynamic force employment in the European theater, providing strategic predictability and assurance for Allies and partners while contributing to deterrence by introducing greater operational unpredictability for potential adversaries.
For more information, please contact the U.S. Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa Public Affairs office at usafepao.pao@us.af.mil or, after hours, at usafepa.pastaffdutyofficer@us.af.mil.
