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American B-52 conducts simulated strike drills near Russia
A U.S. B-52H Stratofortress strategic bomber conducted simulated strike operations over eastern Finland on November 12, flying within 50 kilometers of Russian territory during a NATO training mission that underscores the alliance's military preparedness along its eastern flank.
Multinational NATO exercise
The exercise took place over the Sotinpuro firing range in eastern Finland, where Finnish joint terminal attack controllers marked targets for simulated weapon drops, according to the Finnish Air Force. The mission later extended into Estonian airspace, with the bomber approaching approximately 40 miles from NATO’s border with Russia.
The operation involved coordination among several NATO allies. Finnish F/A-18 Hornet fighters escorted the B-52 over Finland, while Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoons joined the formation upon entering Estonian airspace. NATO also deployed an E-3A Sentry airborne warning and control system to support the mission.
The B-52 is part of the Bomber Task Force Europe 26-1, which was deployed to Morón Air Base in Spain on November 8. The aircraft, originating from the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, will conduct training operations with Finland, Lithuania, Sweden, and other allied nations. Hungarian pilots, participating in NATO’s Baltic air policing mission, also escorted U.S. B-52 bombers during their four-month rotational deployment to monitor Baltic airspace.
Strategic deterrence amid rising tensions
The U.S. Air Forces in Europe emphasized that the deployment aims to “respond rapidly to emerging threats and maintain credible deterrence along Europe’s eastern flank and in the High North.” This comes as Russia has escalated military activities near NATO borders, including recent airspace violations over Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, and Romania.
Open-source flight tracking shows the B-52 flew over Sweden, Finland, Estonia, and Latvia during the November 12 mission. The bomber’s ability to conduct long-range strike operations without permanent basing demonstrates NATO’s capacity to project power across contested regions.