Hans Kristensen Profile picture
Director, Nuclear Information Project, Federation of American Scientists. Tracking nuclear arsenals, writing Nuclear Notebook, SIPRI Yearbook. Opinions my own.

May 4, 2021, 8 tweets

Two B-52Hs from Minot AFB heading East disappeared from tracking radars as they crossed into Canadian airspace over Lake Superior. Another Middle East mission? Both aircraft (60-0026 and 61-0006) are among the 46 B-52Hs that are nuclear-capable.

One of them briefly reappeared on the radar north of Ottawa heading south toward US border. So this appears to be part of an exercise over North America. There has been some amazing tanker operations tonight.

And there they are, heading out over the water north of Boston.

Time for a drink. Seems like they’re meeting up with two tankers over the Gulf of Maine.

Turns out my suspecion was right after all. The two B-52Hs (60-0026, 61-0006) are on their way to the Middle East. Route same as B-52s 11 days ago : First into Baltic, then down over Eastern Europe to Missile East. Probably joining other B-52s in Qatar.

Ha, “Missile East.” That should of course be Middle East. Good pun, though! 😄

Passing over western Crete right now.

Hard left turn over Crete, heading straight east. Will probably pass over Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia into Qatar. As I mentioned earlier, these two (60-0026 and 61-0006) are nuclear-capable types, but not carrying any nukes.

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