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The arrival of US bombers at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire continues with a total of 11 B-1B Lancers and now SIX B-52s marking what is likely to be the largest bomber deployment of its kind to the base #AvGeek #RadioGeek #MilMonWorld

RAF Fairford - USAF Bombers ORBAT (13/03/2026 UPDATE) #FreeIran‌ --- Operation EPIC FURY --- RAF Fairford now has the following US Air Force bomber aircraft available for #OperationEpicFury, following the arrival of 3 additional B-52H "Stratofortress" aircraft this morning: B-1B 85-0064 #AE6BD3 (DY) "Eliminator" B-1B 85-0088 #AE6BE1 (DY) (No nickname identified) B-1B 86-0107 #AE6BEF (WA) "Dragon Slayer" B-1B 86-0140 #AE6C0B (DY) "Last Lance" B-1B 86-0120 #AE6BFA (EL) "Whiskey Pete" B-1B 86-0121 #AE6BFB (EL) "Symphony of Destruction" B-1B 86-0139 #AE6C0A (EL) "Drifter" B-1B 86-0108 #AE6BF0 (EL) "Aliens with Attitude" B-1B 86-0138 #AE6C09 (EL) "Seek and Destroy" B-1B 85-0072 #AE6BD6 (EL) "Polarized" B-1B 86-0102 #AE6BEB (EL) "Bad Moon Rising" B-52H 60-0023 #AE587C (MT) "Bomber Barons" B-52H 60-0060 #AE5895 (MT) "Iron Butterfly" B-52H 60-0007 #AE5871 (MT) "Guardians of the Upper Realm" B-52H 61-0001 #AE5898 (MT) (No nickname) B-52H 61-0035 #AE58AF (MT) (No nickname) B-52H 60-0012 #AE5875 (MT) "Heavy Hauler" TOTAL: 17 bombers (11x B-1B "Lancer", 6x B-52H "Stratofortress") Photo via @UKDefJournal @MATA_osint @ArmchairAdml @Andyyyyrrr @jamjake01 @TheIntelFrog @MilMonWorld @vcdgf555 @Osinttechnical @FaytuksNetwork @Faytuks

Updated: KC-135 Goes Down in Western Iraq After Mid-Air Incident During Operation Epic Fury The KC-135 was reportedly lost after an incident involving another aircraft in friendly airspace; the second aircraft landed safely. Story: theaviationist.com/2026/03/12/kc-…

Four crew members confirmed dead after US refuelling aircraft crashed in Iraq, US military says bbc.in/4lve6I7

BREAKING: Four of six crew members killed in crash of refuelling plane in Iraq, U.S. Central Command, which oversees operations in the Middle East, confirmed. trib.al/Bu4zKU7 📺 Sky 501, Virgin 602, Freeview 233 and YouTube

A U.S. Air Force KC-135 aerial refuelling aircraft has been lost over Iraq during ongoing military operations in the region, according to U.S. Central Command. Click image for more. ukdefencejournal.org.uk/american-kc-13…

NEW: The UK is considering possible options to help defend shipping in the Strait of Hormuz from Iranian attacks, the defence secretary has said.  John Healey also signalled that British forces needed to be ready in coordination with allies to evacuate UK nationals from the Middle East if the US and Israeli war with Iran worsens.  He said he had spoken on Wednesday with his counterparts in the so-called E5 group of European powers, which  include Germany, France, Italy and Poland, to discuss the crisis.  On the threat to oil tankers in the Gulf, the senior cabinet minister said the best way to unblock the vital waterway would be an end to the war between the US, Israel and Iran.  However, as conflict rages and with tankers ablaze, he said he has asked his military planners to look at what the UK could offer alongside other nations to protect commercial tankers needing to pass through the Strait from attacks by Iranian drones, mines and missiles.  This could include autonomous vessels that can counter mines. In addition, the British military has personnel based at a headquarters in Bahrain with expertise is commanding maritime security operations.  The UK is already sending HMS Dragon, a Type 45 destroyer, with significant air defence capabilities, to bolster its defences in the region. This ship could also potentially be an option if there is a move to protect shipping.  “Recognising the huge impact this potentially has on oil prices and the cost of living there is an international imperative to try and see this resolved,” Mr Healey said, referring to the disruption to the flow of tankers carrying oil and gas through the Strait of Hormuz.  “I have - pre-positioned in the region - some autonomous mine hunting systems,” the defence secretary told reporters, speaking after meeting with commanders at the Permanent Joint Headquarters, PJHQ, in Northwood, in northwest London, which is the main headquarters overseeing British military operations around the world.  “I have been talking to planners today about additional options we can bring to bear alongside allies should it be needed.” However he stressed that this work was “early days”.  “You should not read into that that we have got some hard options poised to go. But… I am discussing additional options with our planners.” Mr Healey said he had spoken with E5 defence ministers about greater coordination in the Eastern Mediterranean.  He signalled this could also mean in any future evacuation efforts.  “If this conflict worsens, we have to be ready should evacuations be required,” he told commanders.  The UK has placed RFA Lyme Bay, a  vast support ship, on heightened readiness to deploy, in a sign of the kind of assets being readied.  However the options to assist in defending shipping through the Strait of Hormuz or conducting evacuations are more limited than they have been in the past following defence cuts.  A decade ago, the Royal Navy had at least one major warship operating out of Bahrain and to four minehunters - each one a large, crewed ship - as well as a huge support vessel. Today there are no warships based out of Bahrain with the last crewed minehunter, HMS Middleton, was sent back to the UK for maintenance.  It means the UK could only contribute to an effort to protect shipping in the Gulf alongside allies like the United States and France.

UPDATE: We have new airframes incoming to RAF Fairford to join the bomber fleet there... 👀

U.S. Central Command is reporting an incident involving two Stratotankers. 63-8017 took off from TLV at 11:31 UTC and returned at 18:35 UTC, squawking 7700. #3eb55786" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/… 62-3556 took off from TLV at 05:17 UTC and has not been tracked returning, indicating it may be the crashed aircraft. #3eb47ef5" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/… Latest updates: flightradar24.com/blog/live/isra…

KC-135 Tanker Crashes In Iraq During Operation Epic Fury Sortie U.S. Central Command says two aircraft were involved in the incident and that a search and rescue effort is currently underway. twz.com/air/kc-135-tan…

Absolutely incredible scenes at RAF Fairford which is now hosting 11x USAF B-1B Bombers and 3x B52 Bombers. The significance of this deployment to the UK which accounts for 25 per cent of the total B-1B Bomber fleet is nothing short of historic #AvGeek #RadioGeek #MilMonWorld

RAF Fairford - USAF Bombers ORBAT (10/03/2026 UPDATE) #FreeIran‌ --- Operation EPIC FURY --- RAF Fairford now has the following US Air Force bomber aircraft available for #OperationEpicFury, following the arrival of 3 additional B-1B "Lancer" aircraft this afternoon: B-1B 85-0064 #AE6BD3 (DY) "Eliminator" B-1B 85-0088 #AE6BE1 (DY) (No nickname identified) B-1B 86-0107 #AE6BEF (WA) "Dragon Slayer" B-1B 86-0140 #AE6C0B (DY) "Last Lance" B-1B 86-0120 #AE6BFA (EL) "Whiskey Pete" B-1B 86-0121 #AE6BFB (EL) "Symphony of Destruction" B-1B 86-0139 #AE6C0A (EL) "Drifter" B-1B 86-0108 #AE6BF0 (EL) "Aliens with Attitude" B-52H 60-0023 #AE587C (MT) "Bomber Barons" B-52H 60-0060 #AE5895 (MT) "Iron Butterfly" B-52H 60-0007 #AE5871 (MT) "Guardians of the Upper Realm" B-1B 86-0138 #AE6C09 (EL) "Seek and Destroy" B-1B 85-0072 #AE6BD6 (EL) "Polarized" B-1B 86-0102 #AE6BEB (EL) "Bad Moon Rising" TOTAL: 14 bombers (11x B-1B "Lancer", 3x B-52H "Stratofortress") Notably, the 11 B-1s represent around 25% of the current active Lancer bomber fleet! Photo via Ellsworth AFB website @MATA_osint @ArmchairAdml @Andyyyyrrrr @jamjake01 @TheIntelFrog @MilMonWorld @vcdgf555 @Osinttechnical @FaytuksNetwork @Faytuks

The mighty B-52s have now arrived at RAF Fairford #AvGeek #RadioGeek #MilMonWorld

RAF Fairford - USAF Bombers ORBAT #FreeIran‌ --- Operation EPIC FURY --- As of a short while ago, (and once the 3 diverted to Ramstein move to the UK), RAF Fairford will have the following US Air Force bomber aircraft available for #OperationEpicFury: B-1B 85-0064 #AE6BD3 (DY) "Eliminator" B-1B 85-0088 #AE6BE1 (DY) (No nickname identified) B-1B 86-0107 #AE6BEF (WA) "Dragon Slayer" B-1B 86-0140 #AE6C0B (DY) "Last Lance" B-1B 86-0120 #AE6BFA (EL) "Whiskey Pete" B-1B 86-0121 #AE6BFB (EL) "Symphony of Destruction" B-1B 86-0139 #AE6C0A (EL) "Drifter" B-1B 86-0108 #AE6BF0 (EL) "Aliens with Attitude" B-52H 60-0023 #AE587C (MT) "Bomber Barons" B-52H 60-0060 #AE5895 (MT) "Iron Butterfly" B-52H 60-0007 #AE5871 (MT) "Guardians of the Upper Realm" TOTAL: 11 bombers (8x B-1B "Lancer", 3x B-52H "Stratofortress") File photos via DVIDS site - not recent @MATA_osint @ArmchairAdml @Andyyyyrrrr @TheIntelFrog @MilMonWorld @FaytuksNetwork @Osinttechnical @vcdgf555

B-52H Bombers Join B-1Bs Deployed to RAF Fairford Three B-52H Stratofortress bombers deployed to RAF Fairford, joining B-1B Lancers deployed in the previous days and bringing to 11 the number of bombers now in Europe. Story: theaviationist.com/2026/03/09/b-5…

B-52s arrive at UK air base amid conflict with Iran bbc.in/4szDgaT

Shaping up to be no less than EIGHT USAF B-1B Bombers on the ground at RAF Fairford by the end of the day. And with cargo flights arriving from Minot AFB in North Dakota, it’s likely the venerable B-52s won’t be far behind either #AvGeek #RadioGeek #MilMonWorld

This morning’s anticipated arrival of additional B-1B Bombers at RAF Fairford have diverted to Ramstein in Germany due to fog. Likely they’ll return later today assuming the weather clears #AvGeek #RadioGeek #MilMonWorld

Fully anticipate the mighty and venerable B-52 Bomber will be making an appearance at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire at some stage over the coming days and weeks #AvGeek #RadioGeek #MilMonWorld

The United States has started using British bases for “specific defensive operations” against Iran, the UK Ministry of Defence (@DefenceHQ) has said. Three B-1 Lancer bombers landed at an air force base in Gloucestershire earlier on Saturday. Flight data tracked by @DefenceGeek – a senior editor at the UK Defence Journal online publication – indicated that they flew to RAF Fairford having already dropped munitions against Iranian targets. This has not been confirmed, however. The Ministry of Defence referred operational queries to the US military. A fourth B-1 plane arrived at the UK base on Friday. The presence of the American bombers means that they have the ability to start launching strikes directly from British soil. A statement by the MoD said: “The United States has started using British bases for specific defensive operations to prevent Iran firing missiles into the region, which is putting British lives at risk.” In addition, the MOD statement said that RAF Typhoon and F-35 jets have continued air operations over Jordan, Qatar, and Cyprus and the wider region in defence of British interests and allies. A Merlin helicopter is on the way to the region, providing additional airborne surveillance and further reinforcing our defensive capabilities that were pre-deployed earlier in the year.