A pair of deployed B-1B Lancer bombers conducted a flyover of the capital city of Latvia alongside NATO allies in a show of force on Tuesday.
The B-1s flew in formation above the Monument of Freedom in Riga — for Latvians, a symbol of national unity and independence — alongside four JAS 39 Gripen fighters, two from Hungary and two from Sweden. Three B-1s in total deployed from Dyess Air Force Base in Texas to Ørland Air Base in Norway on Aug. 9 as part of a bomber task force mission with the 345th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron.
The Air Force said in a release that the flyover is meant to show integration with allies, and how that cooperation has been strengthened through training deployments.
“The security of the Baltic states and NATO’s Eastern flank is the cornerstone of the security of the entire Euro-Atlantic region,” said Latvian defense minister Andris Sprūds. “Such U.S. and allied flyover maneuvers clearly demonstrate NATO’s presence in the region, transatlantic unity and commitment to collectively strengthen the security of the Baltic State region.”
As part of the B-1s’ bomber task force deployment, they have integrated with the air forces of Norway and other allied nations to practice advanced tactics together, share threat information in real time and ensure they can continue to move freely even through contested airspace.
The aircrews have specifically focused on practicing how they find, fix, track and target enemy forces, facilities or other threats, honing their speed and accuracy, the Air Force said. The bomber crews train against both ground and air-based threats that seek to prevent them from operating over enemy-controlled territory.
“This deployment allows us to train the way we fight — integrated with NATO allies, ready and adaptive,” Lt. Col. Eric Alvarez, deployed commander of the 345th, said in an Aug. 9 statement. “It’s about building experience and trust together, enhancing readiness and staying sharp in dynamic environments.”
The 345th is made up of reserve airmen from the 489th Bomb Group, and active duty airmen from the 7th Bomb Wing, both stationed at Dyess.
The B-1s’ deployment marks the fifth bomber task force mission to Europe this year “and reflects the U.S. Air Force’s continued commitment to maintaining a ready and capable forward presence across the region,” the service said.
The Hungarian Gripens that took part in Tuesday’s flyover are also on a deployment of their own, to Šiauliai Air Base in Lithuania where they are temporarily handling NATO’s air policing mission. The four Hungarian Gripens in Lithuania are on alert to provide a quick reaction if necessary, alongside eight Spanish Typhoon jets.
Lithuania lies to the south of Latvia, and the northwest of Belarus, which is Russia’s closest regional ally in its invasion of Ukraine.
Stephen Losey is the air warfare reporter for Defense News. He previously covered leadership and personnel issues at Air Force Times, and the Pentagon, special operations and air warfare at Military.com. He has traveled to the Middle East to cover U.S. Air Force operations.
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