B-52 Stratofortresses Completes 44-hour, Nonstop Mission from US to Australia

Two B-52 Stratofortresses have successfully completed 44-hour, non-stop mission on Thursday flying between the US to Australia.

The strategic bombers were assigned to 2nd Bomb Wing, Barksdale Air Force Base in the USA, where it demonstrated the US' ability to project its flexible, long-range global strike capability and provided opportunities to synchronize strategic activities and capabilities with a key ally in the US Pacific Command (USPACOM) area of operations.

Adm. Cecil D. Haney, US Strategic Command commander said in a statement "In addition to strengthening aircrew skills and enhancing their familiarity with operating worldwide, combined training and theater security cooperation engagements with our regional allies serve to improve our interoperability and capability to respond to any potential threat together."

The B-52s conducted an inert conventional weapons drop on the Delamere Air Weapons Range, and performed a low-approach at RAAF Base Tindal.

In June, three B-52s deployed to Royal Air Force (RAF) in United Kingdom, where they conducted training flights with ground and naval forces and participated in multinational Exercises BALTOPS 15 and SABER STRIKE 15 over international waters in the Baltic Sea and the territory of the Baltic states and Poland. The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber.