The B-52, currently deployed to the UK for BTF 25-2, practiced operational coordination and communication with Israeli F-35Is and F-15Is to deter regional threats.
A U.S Air Force B-52H Stratofortress bomber and Israeli Air Force (IAF) F-15I Ra’am and F-35I Adir fighters conducted a joint training exercise over the Arabian Peninsula in the U.S. CENTCOM (Central Command) area of responsibility, announced both the militaries on Mar. 6, 2025. The B-52 is one of the four deployed to RAF Fairford, UK, as a part of the Bomber Task Force 25-2 (BTF 25-2) that began on Feb. 11, 2025.
From the images released by both the services, we can see the single B-52H Stratofortress, two F-35Is and an F-15I, with possibly another F-15I taking the photos. The F-15 are fully armed, carrying two GBU-31 JDAMs (Joint Direct Attack Munition), two Python AAMs (Air-to-Air Missiles), an AIM-120 AMRAAM (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile), an AIM-9 Sidewinder and two AIM-7 Sparrows. The B-52s are, however, not seen carrying any external payload, but could very well have had ordnance in the internal bays.
It also appears that the F-35Is are flying without the radar reflecting Luneburg lenses. The detachable devices help to mask the actual radar profiles of stealth aircraft, making them also visible to friendly radars. The devices and the live munitions (as denoted by the yellow bands) are an indication of Israel still being involved in the high-intensity operations against Hamas.
Although they weren’t shown in the photos, the mission also included the integration with Royal Air Force Typhoons. The fighters are based at RAF Akrotiri and possibly cooperated with the bombers before they reached the coast of Israel.
תרגיל אווירי משותף בין חיל-האוויר הישראלי לחיל-האוויר האמריקאי, התקיים השבוע.
במהלכו, מטוסי ה״אדיר״ (F-35i) וה״רעם״ (F-15i) של חיל-האוויר, ביצעו טיסה משותפת עם מפציץ אסטרטגי אמריקאי מסוג B52.
בטיסה תורגל הקשר המבצעי בין הצבאות כדי לשפר את יכולת ההתמודדות עם איומים אזוריים שונים.… pic.twitter.com/1zvi1lEXj7
— Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) March 6, 2025
Exercise goals
Israel and Iran tacitly disengaged after two notable episodes in 2024, the first with Tehran raining missiles on Tel Aviv, and the second being the Israeli raid against an Iranian missile factory deep inside Syria. Later, on Feb. 23, 2025, two F-15Is and two F-35Is flew in a finger four formation at low-altitude over followers mourning the loss of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
Following the latest exercise, none of the U.S. press releases officially identified Israel or its military aircraft, but characterized the flight as meant for “partner interoperability.” Israel, however, explicitly mentioned the U.S. Air Force B-52.
The Israeli Air Force conducted a joint aerial exercise with the @usairforce 🇮🇱🤝🇺🇸
Israeli F-35i and F-15i aircraft flew alongside an American U.S. B-52 strategic bomber. During the flight, the forces practiced operational coordination between the two militaries to enhance… pic.twitter.com/2d6UlNrEoM
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) March 6, 2025
CENTCOM called the flight the “third BTF mission in two weeks,” which allowed “strengthening partner interoperability and demonstrating force projection capabilities in the [Middle East] region.” The flight also included “aerial refueling and training opportunities with partner nations.”
A previous mission involved two of the four B-52s deployed to RAF Fairford, which dropped live munitions at multiple ranges in undisclosed countries during a 24-hour sortie on Feb. 17. The bombers joined with four KC-135 Stratotanker refueling aircraft from RAF Mildenhall, routed south towards France and the Mediterranean before making a turn eastwards towards the CENTCOM AOR.
A single B-52H from the same deployment then joined Finnish F/A-18 Hornets and Dutch F-35As, the latter from the Estonia-based Baltic Air Policing detachment, to conduct a flypast over Tallinn on the Estonian Independence Day on Feb. 24.
CENTCOM Conducts Bomber Task Force Mission
On March 4, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) conducted a Bomber Task Force Mission in the Middle East, strengthening partner interoperability and demonstrating force projection capabilities in the region. It was the third BTF mission in… pic.twitter.com/AIEh8Fyqgx
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 6, 2025
The latest exercise, meanwhile, “is potentially aimed at readying the Israeli military for a potential joint strike with the US on Iran,” as per The Times of Israel. “The IAF has already carried out two strikes on Iran without US support, but would likely need the heavy capabilities of the B-52s to effectively hit Iran’s heavily fortified underground nuclear sites,” the report added.
Other recent B-52 flights over the Middle East
B-Roll footage from Mar. 4, 2025, released on the DVIDS network showed a clip captured from a KC-135 Stratotanker’s boom, showing it docking with a B-52H’s refueling port, with other long shots of the single B-52 over CENTCOM skies. The B-52H is assigned to the 69th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron (69th EBS).
The IAF conducted a joint aerial exercise with the @USAFCENT to strengthen cooperation for a range of scenarios.
The F-35i and F-15i aircraft flew alongside a U.S. B-52 strategic bomber, practicing operational coordination to enhance their ability to address regional threats. pic.twitter.com/hghT1FSGVH
— Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) March 6, 2025
Prior to that, DVIDS showed another update on Feb. 20, 2025, with two B-52s in the CENTCOM AOR, of which one was refueled by the KC-135 over the sea. The mission, the second in 48 hours, saw the bombers flying over Europe and six partner countries in the CENTCOM AOR.
Captions have described how the B-52s and BTF strategic bombers “contribute to stability in the CENTCOM theater by demonstrating the credibility, capability, and readiness of the U.S. bomber force, which is critical to deterring attacks against the U.S. and its allies and partners.”
