A Clear Warning: U.S. B-2 Stealth Bombers Just Flew Over the Arctic With NATO Forces |WATCH
In an unprecedented show of force, the United States deployed B-2 Spirit stealth bombers to the Arctic, conducting a major deterrence mission with NATO allies and naval assets amid rising tensions with Russia.
The United States has executed a powerful display of military readiness by sending B-2 Spirit stealth bombers from Whiteman Air Force Base on a long-range mission over the Arctic. This operation, described as one of the most visible U.S. deterrence missions since the start of the war in Ukraine, involved extensive coordination with NATO forces and showcased a significant logistical effort.
The B-2 bombers were supported by a network of allied aircraft. F-35 jets and refuelling tankers from Mildenhall Air Base joined the operation, while British Eurofighters were positioned over northern Scotland to escort the bombers further north. To sustain the mission, at least eight refueling tankers were repositioned from the Middle East to key locations in Europe. Additionally, U.S. refueling tankers launched from northern Norway to support the B-2s as they operated over the Barents Sea. This manoeuvre, which saw at least one B-2 reach the eastern edge of Norwegian airspace, marks a historic first since the beginning of the war in Ukraine.
This high-profile air operation was a coordinated "deterrence mission" with U.S. Navy and NATO naval forces. Two RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft also departed from Keflavik Air Base in Iceland to provide support, suggesting the B-2s had completed their Arctic patrol and were returning over the North Atlantic. Simultaneously, U.S. and Norwegian naval vessels were conducting joint patrols in the Barents Sea as part of a larger NATO exercise. The USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier and its strike group were also participating in the wider operation in the Norwegian and North Seas.
The mission's intensity was heightened by a concurrent effort to track three Russian Yasen-class nuclear attack submarines reportedly operating near the Lofoten Islands. The presence of these submarines has led to concerns of escalating manoeuvres in the contested Arctic waters. The combined air and sea operation signals a clear message of military strength and unified resolve from the U.S. and its NATO allies in a region of growing importance and tension.