Reach out and touch someone:
Two B-52 Stratofortresses bombers from Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, and one B-52 from Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota — currently operating from Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota — arrived at Royal Air Force Fairford, England, on Wednesday, where airmen will train and integrate with U.S. and allied military forces in the region, the Air Force said in a news release.
The article calls them nuclear-capable. But it makes no sense to send bombers equipped for nuclear missions rather than conventional missions. I assume the latter despite the description as "nuclear-capable" which is probably just a description of original purpose.
On March 1st, contemplating numerous security moves we should make to counter Russia's subliminal invasion of Crimea, I suggested:
Nine, practice moving B-52 bombers to the eastern Mediterranean or Balkans to carry out anti-ship strike missions or naval mine laying missions.
Our long-range bombers are capable of firing at ships and laying naval mines.
Add in anti-ship versions of Tomahawk cruise missiles, and B-52s could do a lot of damage to Russia's Black Sea or Baltic Sea flotillas without even leaving NATO air space.
Heck, the French might even tell us the best place to target those Mistral amphibious ships that Russia is acquiring from France.
