Release: 17-43 June 7, 2017
Lancers Join Stratofortresses; high-end joint-training slated for Airmen
STUTTGART, GERMANY – B-1B Lancers from Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., joined Airmen and associated aircraft currently deployed to Royal Air Force Fairford, United Kingdom, in support of a number of routine and widely publicized exercises in Europe.
The deployment will support exercises Saber Strike and BALTOPS in the U.S. European Command area of responsibility throughout the month of June. Currently, three B-52H Stratofortresses from Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, and approximately 800 Airmen are in the European theater to train alongside joint partners, UK and NATO Allies.
Training with allied nations and joint partners improves coordination between nations and enables forces to build enduring relationships necessary to confront a broad range of global challenges.
BALTOPs is an annual recurring multinational, maritime-focused exercise designed to provide high end training for the participants. The exercise involves 4,000 shipboard personnel, 50 ships and submarines and more than 50 aircraft.
Saber Strike is the seventh iteration of a long-standing cooperative training exercise designed to enhance interoperability among allies and regional partners and is focused on improving land, sea, and air operational capabilities while promoting regional stability and security, strengthening partner capabilities and fostering trust.
The $317 million intercontinental, multi-role, heavy bomber has a wingspan of 137 feet (41.8 meters) extended forward, 79 feet (24.1 meters) swept aft. It is 146 feet (44.5 meters) long and weighs nearly 190,000 pounds (86,183 kilograms) and is capable of carrying 265,274 pounds of fuel (120,326 kilograms) and can fly at more than 900-miles per hour. The Air Force has 62 of these aircraft.
More info: http://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104500/b-1b-lancer/ <http://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104500/b-1b-lancer/>
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For more info, contact USAFE PA usafepao.pao@us.af.mil <mailto:usafepao.pao@us.af.mil> .
U.S. European Command is one of the US’ two forward-deployed Geographic Combatant Commands whose area of focus cover almost one-fifth of the planet, including all of Europe, large portions of Asia, parts of the Middle East and the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans. The command is responsible for military relations with NATO and 51 countries with a total population of close to a billion people.
