U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Tessa B. Corrick
A B-52 Stratofortress returns to RAF Fairford, England, after flying a sortie over Norway, March 28, 2019.
- Last week, US Air Force B-52 bombers in Europe trained alongside Norwegian F-16 fighters over the Norwegian Sea.
- Russian bombers escorted by interceptors reportedly did the same thing on the same day, though it's unclear if they were in the same area at the same time.
- Russia has protested the deployment of US heavy bombers to Europe as tensions between Washington and Moscow remain high.
In recent weeks, US bombers have been flying regular training missions with NATO allies, practicing deterrence and preparing for the possibility of conflict.
Last week, five US Air Force B-52 Stratofortress heavy long-range bombers drilled with Norwegian F-16 fighters over the Norwegian Sea.
A pair of Russian Tu-160 bombers, escorted by Mikoyan MiG-31 interceptor aircraft, did the same on the exact same day, The Barents Observer first reported, citing a Norwegian military spokesperson.