The bombers will fly Ally-led missions to follow high-threat air operations and refine expertise within the discover, repair, observe and goal course of.
Three U.S. Air Power B-1B Lancer bombers arrived in Norway on Aug. 9, 2025, to start Ally-led coaching operations as a part of the most recent Bomber Process Power Europe 25-4B. The plane, assigned to the 345th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron from Dyess Air Power Base, Texas, arrived at Ørland Air Base after being escorted by Spanish Air and Area Power EF-18M Hornets working from Keflavik Air Base, Iceland.
COSMIC11 flt has landed at Ørland Air Base, Norway 💪 😎
📷 FOSNAFOLKET pic.twitter.com/D7da1qbQlX
— Thenewarea51 (@thenewarea51) August 9, 2025
Bomber Process Power Europe 25-4B
This isn’t the primary time the BONEs (from B-One – because the B-1s are dubbed by their aircrews) are deployed to Ørland, as they already did in 2021 once they marked the primary time U.S. bombers operated out of Norway. In response to the Air Power, through the deployment the bombers will follow high-threat air operations and refine expertise within the discover, repair, observe and goal course of along with Allied belongings.
#BTF bombers have arrived in theater, working alongside Allies & companions to bolster regional stability and assist homeland protection. #BomberTaskForceEuropeRead story right here: pic.twitter.com/0NX13bsVaC
— USAFE-AFAFRICA (@HQUSAFEAFAF) August 9, 2025
“Aircrews will prepare on key parts of the discover, repair, observe and goal course of – honing the pace and accuracy with which bombers and fighters are in a position to act towards threats in actual time,” explains the service. “As aircrews follow these expertise, they concurrently prepare towards floor and air-based threats designed to disclaim their freedom to maneuver, requiring them to behave decisively to counter threats and acquire air superiority.”
🇪🇸 Hornets on 🇮🇸 Air Policing escorted 🇺🇸 B-1Bs to 🇳🇴for this iteration of Bomber Process Power in Europe. The BTF will will fly a sequence of Ally-led missions alongside Norwegian F-35 fighters and different NATO plane #WeAreNATO
Study extra: pic.twitter.com/3SbzdbE3I1
— NATO Air Command (@NATO_AIRCOM) August 11, 2025
Whereas no particular particulars have been launched, this coaching may construct up on earlier workout routines just like the one which noticed the participation of B-52H Stratofortress bombers in December 2024. On that event, a number of belongings, additionally together with F-35 Lightning IIs, a P-8 Poseidon, RC-135 Rivet Joint, a U-2 Dragon Woman, had been concerned in a multi-domain discover, repair, observe and goal mission within the Excessive North, a area with vital strategic significance.
Sky excessive unity ✈️🤝
U.S. B1-B Lancers arrived at Ørland Air Base, NOR, to start coaching as a part of the brand new Bomber Process Power. This team-up permits crews to refine ways, improve flexibility, and strengthen coordination.Our Allies keep prepared to reply at a second’s discover. 🫡 pic.twitter.com/mnDJN9kxip
— SHAPE – NATO Allied Command Operations (@SHAPE_NATO) August 11, 2025
“This deployment permits us to coach the way in which we combat — built-in with our NATO Allies, prepared and adaptive,” stated Lt. Col. Eric Alvarez, 345th Bomb Squadron deployed commander. “It’s about constructing expertise and belief collectively, enhancing readiness, and staying sharp in dynamic environments.”
The press releases highlighted that the bombers will fly missions alongside Norwegian F-35 fighters. Notably, Ørland Air Station is the primary working base of the Royal Norwegian Air Power F-35 fleet.
“It’s about constructing expertise and belief collectively, enhancing readiness, and staying sharp in dynamic environments.” Norwegian Lieutenant Colonel Tom Christiansen, appearing chief of the 132 Air Wing at Ørland, added: “Such a coaching makes us higher geared up to deal with any challenges.”
Demand for bombers grows
The U.S. Air Power highlighted that that is the fifth Bomber Process Power Europe deployment in 2025 and displays the service’s continued dedication to sustaining a prepared and succesful ahead presence throughout the area. This follows latest feedback by Air Power World Strike Command that demand for bomber capabilities is rising across the globe, with U.S. bomber items stepping up the tempo of operations.
“Within the final 18 months, I’ve seen extra exercise and extra demand alerts for bombers than I’ve seen most likely within the final, at the least, 5 to 10 years,” AFGSC boss Gen. Thomas Bussiere stated to Air & Area Forces Journal. Bussiere detailed that the service deployed bomber process forces 48 instances in that timeframe, and 33 instances in 2024 alone, together with 10 every within the Indo-Pacific and Europe, six in U.S. Central Command’s Space of Duty, and several other others in North and South America.
In response to the Common, combatant commanders request the bombers’ presence throughout workout routines as a result of this “sends a really distinct and distinctive message” to allies, companions and adversaries. Bussiere outlined the present demand for bombers as “unyielding,” explaining {that a} comparable stage of bomber exercise was not seen for the reason that “throes of Iraqi Freedom and Afghanistan” within the early 2000s.
This tempo of deployment clearly has an affect on the fleet, which is already strained because of the growing older of the platforms and, within the case of the B-1B, the retirement of the oldest bombers. To resolve the issue, Bussiere didn’t exclude the potential of pulling extra bombers out of the boneyard at Davis-Monthan Air Power Base, Arizona.
“There’s nonetheless just a few left within the boneyard that we may probably pull out if wanted,” Bussiere stated. Though this already occurred prior to now, the choice is taken into account solely in case of mishap, and Bussiere hopes the command gained’t must discover that choice once more, reported Air and Area Forces Journal.
