B-52 bombers returned to the Middle East this weekend for the first time in a quarter century.
The Air Force announced that it sent an unspecified number of B-52 Stratofortress aircraft to Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, to help coalition forces “eliminate” the Islamic State.
“The B-52 will provide the coalition continued precision and deliver desired airpower effects,” said Lt. Gen. Charles Brown Jr., commander of U.S. Air Forces Central Command and Combined Forces Air Component. “As a multi-role platform, the B-52 offers diverse capabilities including delivery of precision weapons and the flexibility and endurance needed to support the combatant commanders’ priorities and strengthen the coalition team.”
The Air Force describes the B-52 bomber as a “long-range heavy bomber that can perform a variety of missions including strategic attack, close-air support, air interdiction and maritime operations.”
According to the Air Force, the last time the bombers were deployed to the Middle East, which is under USCENTCOM’s jurisdiction, was 26 years ago during Operation Desert Storm.
The move follows Secretary of State John Kerry’s remark this week that the U.S. is looking to “turn up the pressure even further” against the Islamic State.
