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Hans Kristensen Profile picture
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Feb 14 • 4 tweets • 2 min read
Two days after arriving in UK, USAF B-52s head south, possibly to turn east across Mediterranean Sea.

The 61-0039 shown here is capable of launching nuclear and conventional cruise missiles.

At least they got rid of the “HATE” call sign. Now it’s CHIEF.
The other one in this groups is 61-0018, which is conventional-only. So a real strategic integration group.
And there they are, heading east across Gibraltar into the Mediterranean. It’ll be interesting to see if they’re going all the way into the Black Sea and across Ukraine.
Meanwhile, 3 tankers heading south to refuel (1 spare) B-52s for mission east.

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More from @nukestrat

Hans Kristensen Profile picture
Feb 14
Interesting B-52 flights over Europe and Mediterranean this morning. Both south from UK around Spain into Med. One (CHIEF12, 61-0018) heads back across Spain toward UK. Other (CHIEF11, 61-0039) continues off Israel, across Sinai south over Red Sea.
B-52 (CHIEF12, 61-0018) returns to RAF Fairford after refuel point over Mediterranean. Wonder if it suffered refuel defect.
Meanwhile, the other B-52 (#CHIEF11, 61-0039) continued down over Red Sea and has just turned east over Saudi Arabia.
Read 7 tweets
Hans Kristensen Profile picture
Feb 10
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…
Read 7 tweets
Hans Kristensen Profile picture
Sep 14, 2021
Woodward/Costa book is as dramatic as it’s disconcerting. Trump was crazy, top official knew it & feared it, CIA head said US was on its way to a right-wing coup, CJCS Milley called China, and told US brass Trump couldn’t launch nukes without him. washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/… 👀 ImageImageImageImage
On nuclear launch authority episode, the book will likely reaffirm belief of some that presidential sole launch authority has adequate safety checks. But then why would Milley have to ask the launch officers to acknowledge he would have to be involved?
We shouldn’t have to be in this situation - ever! Current arrangement creates contradiction between civilian authority and military revolt needed to stop crazy President from launching nukes. Dissent should be civilian - 1-2 more votes - not military.
Read 5 tweets
Hans Kristensen Profile picture
Jul 27, 2021
China appears to be building a second missile silo field, eventually possibly with 110 silos. New York Times has the story nytimes.com/2021/07/26/us/… based on our analysis fas.org/blogs/security…

My assistant @mattkorda found it first. Thanks to @planet for satellite images.
@mattkorda @planet An 800 square kilometer grid of roads being filled in with silos and support facilities. Construction started early this year. fas.org/blogs/security…
@mattkorda @planet China has for decades maintained a policy of a “minimum deterrent” and not being part of an arms race. The scale of the current nuclear build-up appears to contradict both of these policies. fas.org/blogs/security…
Read 6 tweets
Hans Kristensen Profile picture
May 6, 2021
1/n Wow: New report from @USGAO concludes: "every nuclear triad replacement program - including the B-21, LRSO, GBSD, and Columbia class submarine, and every ongoing bomb and warhead modernization program- faces the prospect of delays…” gao.gov/assets/gao-21-…
@USGAO 2/n These risks are not just about existing systems getting old but also about DOD/DOE planning overly aggressive timelines, workload from several concurring systems, and immature technologies.
3/n Check this out: Because of a requirement to have 400 ICBMs on alert, the Air Force "will be largely constrained to fielding GBSD into the 50 launch facilities with silos that are maintained empty” under New START!
Read 16 tweets
Hans Kristensen Profile picture
May 4, 2021
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. ImageImage
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. Image
And there they are, heading out over the water north of Boston. Image
Read 8 tweets

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