U.S. Marine Corps F-35Bs armed with stay AIM-9X air-to-air missiles, escorted the B-52s throughout a bomber assault demonstration mission earlier this week.
U.S. Air Forces Southern has simply launched a brand new set of pictures exhibiting U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II jets escorting a pair of B-52H Stratofortress bombers throughout a long-range mission off the coast of Venezuela on Oct. 15, 2025.
“U.S. Air Power B-52H Stratofortress long-range strategic bombers from Barksdale Air Power Base, La., carried out a bomber assault demonstration mission Oct. 15, 2025, within the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) space of accountability demonstrating the U.S. dedication to proactively deter adversary threats to the U.S. homeland and the area, improve crew coaching, and make sure the international power readiness crucial to reply to any contingency or problem,” says AFSOUTH in a put up on Fb.
In response to publicly out there flight monitoring information, three B-52s from Barksdale Air Power Base, Louisiana, flying as BUNNY 01, BUNNY 02 and BUNNY 03, operated for hours inside the Maiquetía Flight Data Area, off Venezuela’s northern shoreline, earlier than returning north.
3 B-52’s noticed flying between Mexico and Cuba. pic.twitter.com/pb5rpNjn7g
— Faytuks Community (@FaytuksNetwork) October 15, 2025
BUNNY 01 flight (x 3 B-52s) wkg Merida Middle coming into the Caribbean Sea this morning after departing Barksdale AFB 🧐
Audio by way of @liveatc and monitoring by way of @flightradar24 pic.twitter.com/bqKbG4hnAj
— Thenewarea51 (@thenewarea51) October 15, 2025
BIG: Two US B-52H bombers (BUNNY01 & BUNNY02) flew inside ~100–240 miles of Caracas right now, circling over the southern Caribbean for a number of hours earlier than returning to the US.
The flight stayed in worldwide airspace however sparked alarm in Venezuela.
Venezuelan army… pic.twitter.com/V0Mk8wglna
— Conflict Report (@clashreport) October 15, 2025
The pictures affirm that at the very least two bombers had been escorted by Marine F-35Bs working from the previous Roosevelt Roads Naval Station in Ceiba, Puerto Rico, the place fifth era plane have been forward-deployed since Sept. 13, 2025.
Apparently, the F-35Bs depicted within the pictures had been flying with AIM-9X missiles on the exterior underwing pylons. Reviews from native observers counsel that at the very least one Venezuelan Air Power F-16 took off from El Libertador Air Base, west of Caracas, whereas the B-52s had been orbiting offshore. Nevertheless, there is no such thing as a affirmation of any tried interception.
‼️🇺🇸🇻🇪In response to B-52s flying near La Orchila, Venezuelan F-16s have reportedly scrambled from El Libertador Air Base in Aragua.
However can they actually stand their floor towards American air energy? pic.twitter.com/GKQc4Wh8Mk
— Protection Intelligence (@DI313_) October 15, 2025
One other attention-grabbing element seen within the newly launched photographs is that the F-35Bs escorting the bombers weren’t carrying any seen radar cross part (RCS) enhancers or “luneberg lenses” usually fitted throughout peacetime missions: these radar reflectors are used to make the LO (Low Observable) plane (consciously) seen to radars. They’re put in on the plane on the bottom and used every time the plane don’t must evade the radars: throughout ferry flights, when the plane use additionally the transponder in a cooperative approach with the ATC (Air Site visitors Management) companies; throughout coaching or operative missions that don’t require stealthiness; or, extra importantly, when the plane function near the enemy whose floor or flying radars, intelligence gathering sensors.
The presence of externally mounted weapons naturally raises questions on how a lot the F-35’s low observability is affected. On this configuration, the plane’s radar signature is actually barely elevated, for the reason that AIM-9X and its launcher create reflective surfaces. Nevertheless, the degradation is believed to be average, particularly when in comparison with carrying bigger exterior shops or a number of pylons.
The trade-off is probably going operationally acceptable, notably for missions carried out in comparatively low-threat environments just like the Caribbean. On this case, the exterior Sidewinders give the F-35Bs a direct self-defense functionality towards potential airborne threats, whereas sustaining most of their front-aspect stealth traits: in different phrases, though the B-52 was a present of power (with transponder on for everybody to see), the escort was carried out beneath situations that required genuine low-observable efficiency.
U.S. bombers, together with B-52s and B-1s, have supported counter-narcotics surveillance within the Caribbean for many years, usually leveraging their vary and sensor capabilities to determine and observe suspicious vessels. Nevertheless, flying brazenly off Venezuela, albeit over worldwide waters, seems meant to sign elevated readiness. The B-52, able to carrying standoff weapons such because the AGM-158 JASSM cruise missile, stays a potent image of U.S. long-range energy projection.
Furthermore, newest sortie additionally coincides with a bigger U.S. buildup throughout the area. Together with the Marine F-35Bs, AC-130J Ghostriders, and MQ-9 Reapers have been working from Puerto Rico alongside Navy floor vessels and submarines, together with the Iwo Jima Amphibious Readiness Group, a number of Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, a Ticonderoga-class cruiser, and the Ocean Dealer particular operations help ship.
Altogether, U.S. Southern Command has an estimated 10,000 personnel now forward-deployed within the Caribbean. Earlier this month, SOUTHCOM activated a brand new process power led by components of II Marine Expeditionary Power to coordinate expanded counter-narcotics and maritime safety operations throughout the Western Hemisphere.
Whether or not the bomber escort imagery was meant purely for transparency or as a deliberate reminder of U.S. deterrence functionality is open to interpretation; what is evident is that the discharge marks one of the seen demonstrations of American airpower within the Caribbean lately.
