Summary: Four U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bombers from Minot AFB landed at RAF Fairford as part of a routine Bomber Task Force (BTF) deployment, operating with NATO allies under BTF Europe 24-3.

The deployment is part of the ongoing "Large Scale Global Exercise" series.

Notably, a B-52 performed a go-around due to a U-2 Dragon Lady on the runway.

The B-52s and U-2s continue to serve despite their advanced age, with the B-52 projected to remain in service until the 2040s.

B-52 Bombers Return to UK for NATO Mission

Four U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bombers returned to the UK last week, landing at Royal Air Force Fairford. The long-range strategic bombers, assigned to the 5th Bomb Wing and based out of Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, were reportedly deployed to the British Isles as part of a routine bomber task force deployment.

During their time in the UK, the bombers will operate as the 69th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron to integrate with NATO allies and other international partners as part of Bomber Task Force (BTF) Europe 24-3.

"During the deployment to Europe, the BTF will build on the Trans-Atlantic bond between the U.S. and European Allies," NATO announced in a statement.

This is the third BTF deployment to Europe in 2024, following a B-1 deployment to Sweden and another to Spain. As reported by Air and Space Forces magazine, the bombers are part of the U.S. Department of Defense's ongoing "Large Scale Global Exercise" series, which will run through June 2024.

U-2s Also in the UK

While the U.S. Air Force and NATO described the BTF deployment as routine, David Cenciotti of The Aviationist reported that at least one part of the B-52's missions was far from business as usual. 

"When the first B-52H, airframe 61-0018, flying as GROAT 11 was on final for landing at RAF Fairford: the Stratofortress was configured for landing after a U-2 had just landed and was still on the runway," Cenciotti wrote. "The B-52 performed a go-around and landed a few minutes later." 

A runway obstruction is certainly a reason why any aircraft would perform a go-around – the procedure where a pilot aborts the landing and returns to the runway for a second attempt.

The YouTube channel Military Aircraft Videos shared footage of the B-52 performing a go-around and then landing on the runway.

B-52 pilots, like all military aviators, regularly train to perform go-arounds, and the Air Force wouldn't want to see an incident involving any of its aircraft – certainly not a B-52 or a U-2.

Currently, there are just twenty-seven U-2 Dragon Lady spy planes in service, and reportedly there are seventy-two B-52s, with 58 operated by active forces, and the rest in reserve.

The B-52 first entered service seven decades ago and is on track to remain in operation with the Air Force until at least the 2040s. The U-2 – which first entered service in 1956 and can fly at altitudes of up to 70,000 feet – is based out of Beale AFB, California, but continues to be rotated to operational detachments around the world. Last year, the air service announced it would retire the U-2.

Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu 

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].

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