Two US B-2 Stealth Bombers deployed to RAF Fairford, UK in rare overseas deployment (Video, Pics)

Using radio callsigns “Death 11″ and “Death 12″ two B-2s from Whiteman Air Force Base have arrived at RAF Fairford for short and rare deployment.

Best footage I've seen of B-2's since we sent 1 over to Korea to scare off Kim Jong last year.


Looks like US is beefing up NATO reinforcements on the heels of Putin's adviser Markov remarks today stating Finland and Sweden's recent joint purposal to join NATO could trigger WIII.


Source 1
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After the accidents on Guam destroyed one, and damn near destroyed another they have been wary of deploying. The second accident was partially caused by improper firefighting due to lack of training on the aircraft.

a reply to: cass1dy09

Way cool, only seen them with the naked eye once driving out to vegas in the groom lake area.
Well we always assumed that is what they were, or they were some other black triangular aircraft flying off in the distance

a reply to: cass1dy09

Is someone a nutter ignore that if you don't understand. Trying to attend fairford in July but I know these won't be there then

a reply to: cass1dy09

I got see one at 3pm every Monday thru Friday starting engines and system check for 20 minutes at Northrup Grumman hangar at Palmdale airport in 1994.
The Rockwell hangar was about 150 yards away...my office...and where the X-15 is stored.
It may have been a flight test asset and never delivered operational.

a reply to: Granite

There's one AV that has been permanently stationed at the NG facilities. It's an operational airframe, and it's active. NG just got a contract worth up to almost $10B for upgrades and maintenance on the B-2s.

I've seen some up pretty close...

a reply to: boomer135

I used to have a great picture on 35mm of the first B-2 to visit Hickam taxiing in, with a JAL 747 right behind it. You could barely see the B-2.

Nice photos and video, thanks.

I am near Cirencester / Fairford too and often see things on the flight path to there and Lyneham.

These are great to watch, I have seen them close up when they were on the ground in the '90's at RIAT and a few times flying there.

My guess is they are probably headed in the Ukraine direction.

Im just surprised it wasn't escorted by some fighter jets or perhaps it was.

a reply to: theabsolutetruth

There's a massive NATO exercise that's been going on recently, including the first use of a Global Hawk. BALTOPS 14 is to start soon, which is a naval exercise, but B-2s and B-52s have been known to participate in naval exercises as well, due to their ability to drop mines.

The exercise also involves an E-3 element from NATO, and will include ground attack aircraft, so there is a reason for the B-2s to be involved.

a reply to: cass1dy09

Why would it be? They go all over the place without escort all the time.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Rand Corporation Audit X30 NASP
We had done design, analysis of NASP waiting for okay to build two AVs when this audit came on the scene on 1993 leading a NO decision and things winding down to nothing in 1994.

a reply to: Granite

I remember when the X-30 was all the news. I used to be surprised that it was cancelled. Not so much anymore.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I am aware of that, three B52's that arrived at Fairford last week were exposed to be used for Saber Strike and Baltops exercises as is clearly detailed on the link provided from the original post of this thread and here. Note that both are ops in the Baltic sea and states areas, including neighbours of Ukraine, so I say again heading in the direction of Ukraine is most likely, as is also speculated in this article.

Despite being a woman, I do know things!

www.zerohedge.com...

As The Aviationist details,

...overseas deployments of the Spirit stealth strategic bombers are quite unusual.

Indeed, B-2s don’t move from Whiteman AFB, in Missouri, too often as they are trained to conduct very long round-trip missions from their homebase in CONUS (Continental U.S.), as happened during recent training missions, extended nuclear deterrence sorties in the Korean Peninsula, as well as during real conflicts, as the Libya Air War in 2011 or the Allied Force in Serbia in 1999.

That’s why the deployment of two Spirit bombers with the 509th Bomb Wing to the UK is, at least, noteworthy.

Obviously, the official press release doesn’t mention the rarity of this “short-term deployment,” as it only mentions that the “multi-role heavy bombers will conduct training flights in the USEUCOM area of operations, providing opportunities for aircrews to sharpen skills in several key operational sets and become familiar with airbases and operations in the region.”

Little is known about this deployment, unlike the other one which involves three B-52s that have arrived at RAF Fairford last week and whose detachment had been exposed by aircrew patches produced ahead of the participation of the Stratofortresses to the Saber Strike and Baltops exercises.

“The training and integration of strategic forces demonstrates to our nation’s leaders and our allies that we have the right mix of aircraft and expertise to respond to a variety of potential threats and situations,” said Adm. Cecil Haney, commander, U.S. Strategic Command in the release.

For sure, the Russian threat in Europe is taken seriously by the USSTRACOM, that may have decided to deploy some strategic assets closer to Ukraine, more to show the local allies that Washington is capable to support them if needed rather than put some pressure on Moscow.

a reply to: theabsolutetruth

I've never said that you didn't know things. Simply pointing out that there are benign reasons for them to be deployed to the, other than the Ukraine. There's plenty out there to worry about the Ukraine, and to monitor the area.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I never stated they were urgently required there, I said Ukraine direction, and if they are headed for Baltops then that is Ukraine direction. Whether required urgently or not and obviously if they were they would have flown there instead, having presence and being trained in areas near Russia is part of their remit. Obviously the Ukraine situation isn't being ignored by US military.

Perhaps you would also like to criticise this post too, how could a woman possibly know anything about the machinations of military aircraft compared to a man who was a plane tech and who's dad was part of some USAF area?

a reply to: theabsolutetruth

And there are other, better options for monitoring the situation, rather than flying B-2s into an area where they can be monitored, and are vulnerable. The US is closely monitoring the situation through many methods, including classified platforms.

If the B-2s were a message for the Ukraine, then it would make more sense to fly them in from their home base, and back, to show that we can, and will do it. Just as letting a classified platform be seen over Texas sent a message, that makes sense.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I didn't say anything about it being ''a message'', or for ''monitoring the situation'' their deployment would be more practical otherwise they wouldn't have been sent there.

It is advisable that you do not jump to conclusions about the things I post.

a reply to: theabsolutetruth

And with the B-2 being a global strike platform, there is no reason to forward deploy them to a vulnerable base that is closer to anywhere they might have to hit. They are more than capable of flying out of Whiteman AFB, hitting anywhere in the world, and flying back to Whiteman. They did it during Yugoslavia, they did it during Iraqi Freedom, and they've done it dozens of times during exercises.

You don't train to do something, and then throw the training out the window when it comes time to potentially use that training.

If you don't want someone to misunderstand what you say, then flat out say it clearly, and it won't happen.