U.S. Air Drive strategic bombers deployed to RAF Fairford proceed to take part in Operation Epic Fury, with near-daily flights from each the B-1s and B-52s, the latter showcasing a hefty exterior payload.
Whereas base safety forces and native police proceed efforts to maintain RAF Fairford safe, utilizing highway closures, parking restrictions, and privateness screens, aviation fans are nonetheless managing to get clear glimpses of the deployed drive of B-1B Lancer and B-52H Stratofortress bombers as they arrive and depart from the Gloucestershire base.
The Aviationist reader @TallGlen85 right now confirmed us some video footage of each plane sorts as they left Fairford for a reside mission. The B-1s, as anticipated, are carrying all of their payload internally – the reinstatement of exterior pylons on the fleet continues to be in improvement – whereas the B-52s are usually boasting a full exterior payload of 12 AGM-158 JASSM (Joint Air-to-Floor Standoff Missile) on wing pylons in addition to, presumably, 8 extra on a rotary launcher internally.
And right here’s a B-52 launching from RAF Fairford for an Epic Fury mission. Check out the loadout. pic.twitter.com/VHN8rDoAX8
— The Aviationist (@TheAviationist) March 20, 2026
Though the U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Employees Common Dan Caine talked about throughout way back to Mar. 4, 2026 that ongoing operations towards Iran had been shifting to stand-in relatively than stand-off strikes, utilizing precision guided bombs and shorter vary missiles, the continued use of JASSMs suggests that there’s nonetheless a reasonably important requirement for stand-off munitions. Secretary of Protection Pete Hegseth claimed on Mar. 13 that only one% of the munitions getting used had been stand-off munitions, whereas additionally proclaiming that “Iran has no air defenses”.
Yesterday, it was revealed {that a} U.S. Air Drive F-35A Lightning II had made an emergency touchdown after a suspected hit by Iranian air defences – it has since been confirmed that the pilot, who’s in a secure situation, suffered shrapnel wounds and the plane isn’t prone to return to service within the close to future. If a stealth fighter just like the F-35 is ready to be hit by Iran’s remaining air defences, clearly the a lot bigger B-52 and even B-1 may be in danger.
Good video from @TallGlenn85 who spent a while at RAF Fairford to look at US bombers launch and recuperate. “Da Bone” right here. pic.twitter.com/PoT5SPcmTB
— The Aviationist (@TheAviationist) March 20, 2026
It’s identified although, based mostly on weapons seen being loaded onto the plane, that a minimum of some missions from Fairford are utilizing GBU-31 Joint Direct Assault Munition (JDAM) precision guided bombs. It’s unclear whether or not the motivations for utilizing the completely different weapon sorts is predicated on the potential menace from air defences or by different components regarding the weapons’ particular capabilities.
No shortages of GBU-31 2,000lb JDAM bunker busters at RAF Fairford. Some extra footage from yesterday. Many gave the impression to be loaded on or round B-52s from what I noticed – with the B1-bs positioned additional away from my viewing level. No thought what the Bones had been loaded up with. All… pic.twitter.com/AAxlXwUZWc
— Chris Partridge (@Chris1603) March 18, 2026
Bomber Routes
Each the B-1s and B-52s have been utilizing two most important routings to and from their missions over Iran. Essentially the most direct has seen the bombers head nearly immediately south from Fairford, transiting over land by means of French airspace to the Mediterranean Sea. The opposite route has the plane heading south west from Fairford and out into the Atlantic Ocean, earlier than turning south and heading by means of worldwide airspace, over the Strait of Gibraltar, and all the best way throughout the Mediterranean.
Some have instructed that within the latter case the plane have been denied permission from France for an overflight, though because the France routing continues to be getting used as just lately as right now it’s not sure that this truly is the case. Alternatively, the routing might be all the way down to completely different practices by completely different flight planners – it’s thought that even previous to Operation Epic Fury, some situations the place U.S. army plane have averted overflying France and different European nations have been the results of flight planners merely not even making use of to get diplomatic clearances relatively than particularly being denied these clearances.
Although France has indirectly joined the U.S.-Israeli operations towards Iran, it has – as said – granted permission for some overflights and has additionally opened up the opportunity of U.S. plane utilizing its Center Jap bases.
A flight of USAF B-52s seems to have used French airspace right now to hold out a strike mission on Iran.
Spotters in England confirmed that the bombers had been armed with a full load of cruise missiles on departure. pic.twitter.com/Fl9YCHr0yQ
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) March 20, 2026
One other chance is that, in situations comparable to right now (Mar. 20) the place one flight of bombers (the B-52s) overflies France whereas the opposite (the B-1s) seem to take the longer routing, flight planners have organised these missions in order that regardless of their comparable departure instances they will arrive in theatre at their maybe in another way scheduled instances heading in the right direction. Avoiding airspace conflicts between the 2 flights for refueling over the Mediterranean can also be a consideration.
In the meantime, B-2 Spirit stealth bombers proceed to additionally participate, although nonetheless apparently solely flying immediately from Whiteman AFB, Missouri. These can carry out their missions extra clandestinely than the B-1s and B-52s at Fairford as, since Whiteman is their house base, B-2 departures from there are usually not notably notable and for apparent causes they don’t carry exterior payloads.
As they don’t use Mode S or ADS-B, they’re by no means tracked utilizing purposes like Flightradar24, so as soon as airborne they will nearly disappear till their return. Whereas skilled flight monitoring fans can generally piece their operations collectively from radio communications and tanker actions, many are electing to share this data on-line with a big delay to keep away from their interest offering instruments for Iranian intelligence gathering.
