US B-52 Stratofortress strategic bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons landed in Romania on July 21 for the first time in the countryʼs history.
This was reported by the Ministry of Defense of Romania and the US Air Force Command in Europe and Africa.
Two B-52 Stratofortresses from the 2nd Bombardment Wing of Barksdale Air Force Base (Louisiana) landed at the 57th Mikhail Kogelnychanu Air Base near the port city of Constanta. This base has been used by the US Air Force since 1999, and from 2024 it will begin a large-scale expansion — it will become the largest NATO outpost on the eastern flank.
The B-52s arrived as part of Operation Bomber Task Force Europe. They will perform tasks as part of the 20th bomber squadron together with the aviation of NATO countries and other allies. For the most part, these will be interoperability and defense operations exercises.
The US Command added that during the flight of the B-52 bombers over the Barents Sea, two Russian fighters were trying to intercept them, but the B-52s did not change their course and flew to Romania as planned and "without incident."