Air and Space Forces Magazine reported yesterday that a total of six B-52 bombers are slated to deploy to Southwest Asia following the Nov. 1 Pentagon statement announcing the deployment of additional U.S. Air Force assets to Southwest Asia. In addition to the bombers, an additional squadron of F-15E Strike Eagles, and more aerial refueling tankers to support those aircraft are also deploying as part of the military buildup order by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, unnamed U.S. officials said. The U.S. military did not say where the B-52s, which are from the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot Air Base, North Dakota, will be based in the region. But cargo aircraft originating in Minot have arrived at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, in recent days. Al Udeid is the largest U.S. base in the Middle East and has previously hosted B-52s (a special ramp with six parking spaces was built for them in the mid-2010’s on the northeast corner of the airfield). The first two of the six bombers arrived on Nov. 2 and according to aviation spotters posting on X.com, the last four of the six aircraft arrived in pairs yesterday and today.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei condemned the B-52 deployment during his regular Monday press briefing Nov. 4. “We have always believed that the presence of America in the region is a destabilizing presence,” said Baghaei said in response to a question about the deployment, reported AFP. He added that the bombers “will not deter (Iran’s) resolve to defend itself.”
