The United States is flying B-52 Stratofortress bombers over the skies of all 30 NATO counties as a show of solidarity with the alliance.
Four of the planes lifted off on Friday from Britain and will be accompanied by fighter jets and refueling aircraft from other NATO member countries as they make the trek around Europe. Two bombers based out of North Dakota are also flying over the U.S. and Canada.
Gen. Tod Wolters, commander of U.S. European Command, said the display is a way of showing the connection that the NATO countries have to one another. He said the flyovers also show U.S. “commitment to global security and stability.”
“U.S. security commitments to the NATO Alliance remain ironclad,” Wolters said in a statement. “Today’s bomber task force mission is another example of how the Alliance sustains readiness, improves interoperability and demonstrates our ability to deliver on commitments from across the Atlantic.”
“By further enhancing our enduring relationships, we send a clear message to potential adversaries about our readiness to meet any global challenge,” he added.
The move comes as the alliance experiences some tension. President Trump has repeatedly pushed to have NATO allies put more money into defense. In 2014, member nations agreed to commit 2% of their GDP to defense spending by 2024. Greece and Turkey are also at odds about who has jurisdiction over a section of the Mediterranean Sea.
