FOREIGN POLICY/MILITARY/RUSSIA: “Two US B-1 bombers and one B-52 Stratofortress arrived in the United Kingdom on Wednesday [8-23-17] for an annual international war games event taking place at the same time as a controversial Russian military exercise.
The long-range B-1s, from the 7th Bomb Wing at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, and the B-52, from the Air Force Reserve Command’s 307th Bomb Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, landed at Royal Air Force Fairford in Gloucestershire. They will conduct flyovers in Slovakia and Poland before taking part in the Ample Strike 2017 exercises hosted by the Czech Republic, according to US European Command.
More than 30 aircraft, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles from eight allied nations are expected to conduct live-fire drills from August 28 to September 9, according to NATO.
‘The exercise will focus on advanced air and land integration training, as well as strengthening interoperability between NATO ally and partner nations,’ US European Command said in a statement.
Unofficially, the joint military display is meant to serve as a not-so-subtle show of force aimed at Russia, which is preparing to conduct large-scale war games in Belarus next month.”
-Zachary Cohen, “US bombers arrive in Europe as Russia preps for war games,” CNN Politics, CNN.com, Aug. 24, 2017 02:41am