According to NATO, B-52 bombers from Barksdale Air Force Base in the United States landed at Morón Air Base in Spain on 8 November 2025. The operation forms part of Bomber Task Force Europe 26-1 and aims to improve joint readiness with partners such as Finland, Sweden, and Lithuania.
Bomber Task Force Suomessa 🇫🇮🇺🇸
🇫🇮 F/A-18 Hornet -hävittäjät saattoivat 🇺🇸 B-52 Stratofortress -pommikonetta, joka suoritti simuloituja pudotuksia suomalaisten ilmatulenjohtajien osoittamiin maaleihin Sotinpuron ampuma-alueella 12.11.2025. #ilmavoimat #BomberTaskForce pic.twitter.com/viBDPBXlU8
— Ilmavoimat (@FinnishAirForce) November 12, 2025
Flights from Spain are conducted to support NATO’s posture on its eastern flank and in the north, focusing on strengthening air cooperation. These activities reflect NATO’s continued focus on regional stability through joint exercises and strategic air presence.
The northern operations are coordinated by NATO’s new air operations centre, CAOC Bodø in Norway, which became operational in October 2025. The centre works alongside existing Combined Air Operations Centres in Uedem, Germany, and Torrejón, Spain, enhancing NATO’s command structure in Europe.
On 12 November, a US B-52 was escorted by Finnish F/A-18 Hornets during a mission over Finland. The Finnish Air Force confirmed that simulated weapon strikes were carried out on targets identified by Finnish Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) units at the Sotinpuro training field.
