Two B-52H Stratofortresses flew home to Minot AFB, N.D., on June 23 after completing a roughly one-month deployment to RAF Fairford, United Kingdom. While in Europe, the bombers participated in exercises Baltops 16 and Saber Strike 16, flying a total of 25 sorties in countries such as Poland, Denmark, Sweden, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, France, Germany, and Italy. The heavy bombers also participated in airshows around Europe, including shows in Paris and Berlin. “The B-52 is a great sign of America’s presence for assuring allies and deterring potential enemies,” said Col. Kieran Denehan, 5th Expeditionary Operations Group commander, in a June 23 release.
As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine grinds on and NATO looks to deter further aggression in Europe, a number of the top U.S. military leadership positions on the continent are changing hands in quick succession—starting with a change of command for U.S. Air Forces in Europe on June 27. Gen. James…