U.S. B-52H bombers flying from their homebase at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, flew all the way to the Black and Baltic Seas today. Not very usual.
On Jun. 17, three B-52 Stratofortress bombers belonging to the 5th Bomb Wing, were involved in round-trip missions from Minot AFB, ND, to Europe.
The three aircraft (60-0009/”HODOR 51″, 61-0038/”HODOR52″, 61-0005/”HODOR53″) crossed the Atlantic Ocean in two flights: HODOR 51-52 reached UK first, followed about 30 minutes later by HODOR 53, flying as a single ship.
While the first flight of B-52s (that could be tracked online) continued southeast bound towards Romania and the Black Sea, HODOR 53 went eastbound, and was reported over Kiel, on Germany’s Baltic coast.
🇺🇸United States Air Force | 93rd Bomb Squadron
2 x Boeing B-52H Stratofortress
60-0009 HODOR51
61-0038 HODOR52 pic.twitter.com/L2H6JSt7no
— 360°Radar (@wipljw) June 17, 2019
We don’t know where HODOR 53 flew afterwards, but for sure it was reported to have been intercepted by the Russian Air Force in international airspace over the Baltic Sea (most probably not far from Kaliningrad Oblast, where Su-27 Flankers are based to provide Quick Reaction Alert duties) before returning to its base in the CONUS (Continental US).
Same happened, always according to Russian TASS News Agency, to HODOR 51-52 flight, that was intercepted in international airspace over the Black Sea by Russian Flanker launched from Crimea.
🇺🇸United States Air Force | 93rd Bomb Squadron
Boeing B-52H Stratofortress
61-0038 HODOR52#Crimea pic.twitter.com/XPNX7yZex7
— 360°Radar (@wipljw) June 17, 2019
Later, the HODOR 51-52 were spotted flying northwestbound over the Netherlands.
Here’s HODOR51, a single Boeing B52-H Stratofortress at FL340 heading west over The Netherlands. ICAO: #AE5873. #potn #avgeek https://t.co/XBO7umqcuW pic.twitter.com/HaXt06K48C
— Gerjon | חריון (@Gerjon_) June 17, 2019
Nothing too nefarious (although the U.S. has not yet confirmed the Russian reports), as close encounters between U.S./NATO aircraft and Russian jets occur regularly. However, even though it’s not the first time U.S. aircraft are intercepted by Russian aircraft, it does not happen too often that B-52s operate over the Baltic and Black Seas and are intercepted by the Russians over there.
Interestingly, on their way back home, HODOR 51 and 52 split: the latter returned to Minot AFB whereas HODOR 51 was forced to perform an emergency landing at RAF Mildenhall, UK, because of fire reported on 2 of its 8 engines.
#HODOR51 diverted to #Mildenhall, #UK due to emergency. #KC10 #AE021B 84-0188 as #SPUR97 out of Mildenhall may have supplied fuel to #HODOR53 (which seems to have been seen in #Kiel, #Germany!). pic.twitter.com/KTfb5dnNUT
— Rick Olthuizen (@ADSB_not_ACDC) June 17, 2019
Many supporting tankers could also be tracked online.
#HODOR52 westbound over pond. Would be grateful if any #avgeeks know which HF freq he will use.
KC-10A 84-0188 #SPUR87 rtb #Mildenhall but as there is a #B52 tanker may need to divert to #Lakenheath or elsewhere.#potn #avgeek pic.twitter.com/1yhD7fi6Fz
— planes on the net (@planesonthenet) June 17, 2019
Update Jun. 18, 2019: the Russian MoD has released a video of the intercept:
#Footage The #USAirForce‘s #B52H strategic bombers were detected yesterday near the Russian state border in the vicinity of the #BlackSea and the #BalticSea. In order to intercept the aircraft, Russian on-duty #Su27 fighter jets were scrambled https://t.co/9V4LcH4fmk @mfa_russia pic.twitter.com/pQF5TmYDQI
— Минобороны России (@mod_russia) June 18, 2019
