Hans Kristensen Profile picture
Feb 10, 2022 7 tweets 4 min read Read on X
B-52 bombers are on their way to Europe (RAF Fairford) and Guam in the first Bomber Task Force mission of the year. US bombers deploy to Europe several times a year but this deployment coincides with the escalating Russia-NATO crisis over Ukraine and naturally be seen as signal.
Here is one of them (61-0006), passing south of Iceland enroute UK.

Sure hope callsign HATE11 is a mistake.
The B-52 deployment comes only days after US proposal to Russia to discuss “nuclear risk reduction measures, including strategic nuclear bomber platforms.” elpais.com/infografias/20…

Russia also recently conducted forward strategic nuclear bomber operations thebarentsobserver.com/en/2022/02/nor…
The three B-52s have arrived over UK, doing exercises over the east coast. HATE11 (61-0003), HATE12 (61-0018), and HATE13 (60-0044).

As for the callsigns, AFGSC, we need to talk! 😳
BUFFs over Britain.

Of the three B-52s, two are nuclear-capable (60-0044 and 61-0003). The third (61-0018) is among the 41 B-52s that have been denuclearized under New START treaty.
And here is the official confirmation that the US B-52H bombers arrived in the UK this morning. usafe.af.mil/News/Press-Rel…

Over the next weeks, they will fly missions across Europe.
Apparently there were four B-52 bombers landing at RAF Fairford today. I only saw three on the radars. @Saint1Mil has all four on video. We’ll see if more join over the next days.

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More from @nukestrat

Jun 25
As suspected, deployment of E-6B TACAMO nuclear command, control and communication aircraft to Norway indicated forward operations with nuclear missile submarines.

What I didn't expect was one of them surfacing off Norway in a blunt signal to Russia. 👀
One of the images shows low-level flight of the E-6B over the SSBN, which based on the flight track appears to have been 30-40 km from the Norwegian coast.
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The Tennessee (SSBN-734) carries up to 20 Trident II D5LE ballistic missiles, each armed with an average of 4-5 nuclear warheads (W76-1, W76-2, W88). The missiles probably carried about 90 warheads during the photo shoot. tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.10…
Read 4 tweets
Jun 17
1/n Nuke statement by Stoltenberg: "I won't go into operational details about how many nuclear warheads should be operational and which should be stored, but we need to consult on these issues. That's exactly what we're doing."

A short thread: 👇telegraph.co.uk/world-news/202…
2/n I don't think this means, as some reactions claim, that the US is planning to put its non-strategic nuclear weapons in Europe on alert or standby. Here are some facts:

1. The US has an estimated 100 B61 bombs "stored" at six bases in five countries. tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.10…
3/n

2. The bombs are deployed, most in shelters with aircraft, but are not currently on alert or standby for quick delivery. NATO says they "are available for nuclear roles at various levels of readiness." nato.int/cps/en/natohq/…
Read 8 tweets
May 6
Russia to hold exercise in southern mil district “to increase the readiness of non-strategic nuclear forces…in response to provocative statements and threats of individual Western officials against” Russia.

See Rus nukes overview: t.me/mod_russia/383…
tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.10…
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Putin has previously used nuclear rhetoric against West during his war in Ukraine but this is to my knowledge the first time he has ordered tac nuke exercise of forces in district off Ukraine with explicit reference to West. Obviously intended as a signal.
Timing is kind of odd after Putin has played down somewhat Western complaints of possible nuke use in Ukraine and given recent military advancements in Ukraine.
Read 6 tweets
Jan 6
Corruption effects on Chinese nuclear buildup: "missiles filled with water instead of fuel and vast fields of missile silos in western China with lids that don’t function in a way that would allow the missiles to launch effectively."

Possible crime scene: bloomberg.com/news/articles/…
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The link has changed. Here is the new one: bloomberg.com/news/articles/…
This development is obviously important when assessing the impact of China’s nuclear modernization. Unfortunately, these factors have been absent from the public statements made by STRATCOM and DIA. NSC and DNI have to review what the implications are for threat assessments.
Read 4 tweets
Dec 1, 2023
Kudos to NNSA for organizing this NGO expert visit to Nevada National Security Site. It’s was an honor to take part. Access to facilities/officials was impressive. The message was loud a clear: No, the US is not planning a nuclear test explosion. 1/n energy.gov/nnsa/articles/…



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2/n We were taken into the P-tunnel where they’re conducting nuclear test verification experiments, 950 feet down into the PULSE (U1a) complex where the labs do subcritical plutonium implosion experiments for nuclear weapons (I saw LLNL’s upcoming NIMBLE device).
3/n Rather than exotic new nuclear warheads, we were told, debate inside is more about how many and new delivery systems. Still, although planned warheads are based on previously tested systems, future designs will be more different than envisioned two decades ago.
Read 6 tweets
Jul 11, 2023
1/n - The NATO Vilnius Summit Communique is out. On nuclear issues it largely reiterated existing policy but with a couple of nuances. https://t.co/E0WoXCtZfnnato.int/cps/en/natohq/…
2/n - This includes “strengthen training and exercises that simulate” conv & nuc dimension of a crisis/conflict to get “greater coherence between conventional and nuclear components of NATO’s deterrence and defence posture across all domains and the entire spectrum of conflict.”
3/n - And to “updating planning to increase flexibility and adaptability of the Alliance’s nuclear forces…”
Read 5 tweets

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