On August 9, 2025, three U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer bombers from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, landed at Ørland Air Base, Norway, for NATO-led training under Bomber Task Force Europe. The deployment comes days before the large-scale Russo-Belarusian Zapad 2025 exercise, expected to feature the new Oreshnik hypersonic missile, signaling Washington’s intent to project power in the High North, Baltic, and Eastern Europe.
The B-1B, America’s only supersonic long-range bomber, can exceed Mach 1.2 and carry up to 75,000 pounds of ordnance. Once a Cold War nuclear deterrent, it now serves as a precision strike platform capable of penetrating advanced air defenses. Operating alongside Norway’s F-35s and other NATO assets, the aircraft will rehearse complex missions in contested airspace, including countering integrated ground and air threats.
Stationing these bombers in Norway puts high-value strike capability within rapid reach of Russia’s western borders and Ukraine, offering NATO swift response options in a crisis. The timing—aligned with Russia’s hypersonic missile drills—underscores a calculated show of force and deterrence.
According to NATO officials, the mission enhances interoperability, strengthens strategic reach in the Arctic, and reaffirms that the Alliance’s long-range strike capabilities remain ready to counter emerging threats.
