On 24 and 25 March 2024, four USAF Rockwell B-1B Lancer bombers arrived at Morón Air Base (Spain) for Air Force Global Strike Command's next Bomber Task Force (BTF). Earlier this year Scramble reported that two B-1B bombers arrived in Sweden as part of BTF 24-2.

 

The four B-1Bs and more than 100 Airmen assigned to the 9th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron "The Bats", part of the 7th Bomb Wing based at Dyess AFB (TX), arrived at Morón to begin the next phase of BTF 24-2.

 

On 24 March 2024, upon arrival at Morón, the USAF confirmed that a Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-31 "Foxhound" fighter jet of the Russian Air Force conducted a safe and professional Interception of two B-1Bs in International airspace over the Barents Sea. The same occured on 26 March.

 

Six months ago, four 9th Bomb Squadron Lancers flew to the UK to become a BTF.

 

It is expected that during this deployment, bomber crews and support personnel will generate sorties out of Morón and operate alongside numerous allies and partners to increase interoperability and assure security commitments across the United States European Command area of responsibility. The US routinely demonstrates its commitment to NATO Allies and partners with BTF missions.

 

The following 9th Bomb Squadron DY coded Lancers are now present at Morón:

85-0061	86-0117 (as 7BW flagship)
86-0124	86-0125

 

Credit photo: Scott Rathbone (On Flickr)