Three U.S. B-52H Stratofortress aircraft take off from RAF Fairford, assigned to the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, as part of a Bomber Task Force Europe mission on Sept. 4, 2020. The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is an American long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, which has continued to provide support and upgrades. It has been operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) since the 1950s. The Bomber Task Force in Europe demonstrates the US commitment to regional security and its support of its NATO ally nations and partners.
The 5th Bomb Wing (5 BW) is a United States Air Force unit assigned to Air Force Global Strike Command’s Eighth Air Force. It is stationed at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota. The wing is also the host unit at Minot. The 5 BW is one of only two Boeing B-52H Stratofortress wings in the United States Air Force, the other being the 2d Bomb Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. Its 5th Operations Group is a successor organization of the 5th Group (Composite), one of the 15 original combat air groups formed by the Army before World War II. Active for over 60 years, the 5 BW was a component wing of Strategic Air Command’s heavy bomber deterrent force throughout the Cold War.