The Stratofortresses deployed to RAF Fairford, UK, have flown a training mission over Northwestern Africa.
On Sept. 7, 2020, two U.S. B-52H Stratofortress strategic bombers, belonging to the 5th Bomb Wing, from Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, deployed to Europe as part of BTF 20-4, carried out a mission to Morocco.
Flying as “BUSH11” and “BUSH12” (reg. 60-0005 and 61-0034), the two BUFFs took off from RAF Fairford, UK, a few minutes before 11.30LT.
B-52s BUSH 11&12 leaving Fairford this morning. The second Buff is avoiding the wake of the lead. New engines are on the #USAF ‘to do’ list! @TheAviationist @hoje_no @Andy007_SR_A @steffanwatkins @RAFFFDSpotters pic.twitter.com/vQDXmV53vM
— Saint1 (@Saint1Mil) September 7, 2020
With the Mode-S transponder turned on, they immediately started plotting on flight tracking websites and their route appeared to bring them towards southwestern Europe.
Two B52s out of Fairford this morning, BUSH11(0005) & BUSH12 (0034). Unusual destination as BUSH11 currently showing over Morocco, looks like an African mission today. Pic: #ADSBExchange pic.twitter.com/PrivqbkaFm
— Saint1 (@Saint1Mil) September 7, 2020
The aircraft operated for some time inside the Moroccan airspace, most probably integrating, as done in April 2019, with the local RMAF (Royal Moroccan Air Force) F-16s.
Here’s a cool video released last year:
After completing their activity over North Africa, the two BUFFs point towards Spain, where they landed around 4 hours after takeoff.
Photographer and The Aviationist contributor David Parody was at Moron Air Base, in southern Spain, one of the European airfields used as Forward Operating Base for the Stratofortress bombers, and took the photos of the two B-52Hs landing there that you can find in this post.
The two BUFFs are scheduled to return to RAF Fairford, today, Sept. 8, 2020.
