by Jim Morris, Warrior Vice President, News
US Air Force bombers flew close to the Russian border this week, part of a joint exercise with other NATO countries that may have been sending a message.
The B-52H Stratofortresses took off from RAF Fairford in England for a mission dubbed FORTRESS HAIL. They were joined by planes from the Netherlands, Germany, Finland and the UK all part of Bomber Task Force 25-2.
According to US European Command, the task force took part in a targeting mission over the Baltic Sea with Dutch F-35s and a live weapons drop with Finnish F/A-18s. German KC-30 tankers, US and British RC-135 Rivet Joints and NATO AWACs also took part.
The B-52s later headed to Rovajarvi Range in Finland – about 55 miles from the Russian border – where they dropped GBU Joint Direct Munitions with the aid of the Finnish army and US joint terminal attack controls.
The European Command news release said that the exercise “enhanced intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance integration and refined operational tactics, techniques and procedures.”
The word “Russia” was not mentioned. However, last month another B-52 taking off from RAF Fairford flew to Estonia – another NATO member – just about 50 miles from the Russian border. It was joined by F-35s and F/A-18s.
It almost certainly was no coincidence that the flight took place on the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It also coincided with Estonia’s independence day. Estonia, once part of the old Soviet Union, is considered to be the NATO country most threatened by possible Russian aggression.
Quoted in the British newspaper the Mirror, the head of the Estonian intelligence service, Kaupo Rosin, said, “Russians are planning to increase the military force along the Baltic states’ border (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) but also the Finnish border. We will likely see an increase of manpower, almost doubling, perhaps. We will see an increase in armed personnel carriers, tanks, artillery systems over the coming years.”
A Russian war commentator described as one of the Kremlin’s favorites, Sergey Mardan, was quoted as saying, “For now, we are practicing on Ukraine, and then the turn will come to the Baltics…Looking at the map, it is clear that their concern, it is objective, their historical fate is predetermined. Whether they are NATO members (or) not NATO members. In the foreseeable historical perspective, these so-called states will not exist.”
